How to clean feathers for a collection?

[GracefulBantams]

I need feathers from my birds for a project I am working on. These would be naturally molted feathers.. not ones that I would have to pull out!
What I need to know is how to clean them. They need to be cleaned so they will look their best, but also for sanitary purposes.

Thanks

 

[CoopCrazy]

You may want to PM Tamra of Fort Doom .. She uses her birds feathers in crafts and would know how to do it..

 

[GracefulBantams]

Thanks! I sent her a PM.

 

[Andi]

Umm, Grace? Can you post back on this thread what she says? I'm wanting to know the same thing. Thanks.

 

[GracefulBantams]

Will do

 

[gaeamama]

I've soaked mine in dishwashing soap and warm water. Since that's how I bathed a chicken before, I figured it work for just the feathers. Seemed to work fine.

 

[jlapham]

Don't hold me to this. Check first. But years back I had raised pheasants, ring neck, golden, amherst etc. I had this guy stop one day and asked if he could have the feathers. So I showed him the aviary and he started picking them up I asked him what he does with them and he told me he made fishing flies with them. If my memory serves me correctly he told me he cleans them with borax, dry. He came back and gave me some nice fishing fly's. Hope that helped.

 

[GracefulBantams]

Well, I promised to post Tamara's reply... so here it is:

I am sort of flattered that someone would recommend me as someone to help you, but I am afraid that I seldom clean my feathers. I don't know what to do to get them looking like new if they are dirty. I once skinned a rooster who was getting a bit too aggressive as an alternative to plucking and was then able to wash his feathers much the way you would wash a live chicken. I would guess that loose feathers could be washed by putting them in warm water and gently swishing them about (it works for wigs!) and then laying them out to dry. I haven't yet tried this since I don't really have room at the moment to take on drying feathers in the house, but I do really want to try dying feathers this summer and I think that is how I will start. For now, I wish I could help but I mostly just leave the dirty feathers and take the clean ones-easier when they free range to be sure! I am in the latter stages of buying a house and am impatiently waiting till I can get my flock back and let them roam the yard. It is so sad to see them penned up and all dirty. When I look at all those pretty feathers covered in mud... I actually am considering washing all the chickens when we move them to the new house, just so their feathers will be clean when they drop them! So I suppose my key to clean feathers would be try to keep the chickens clean. I wish I could be more help!​

 

[Andi]

Thank-you for posting the reply. If I come across something new I'll post it here.