Saving feathers for crafts, etc.

[DenverBird]

Tomorrow's processing day and I've got a person interested in the feathers but who may not be able to come get them for a week or so.

Can a fellow chicken head direct me to a good way to save the feathers after scalding/ plucking so they can be used for jewelry, crafts and such?

I remember seeing a woman's post who makes masks with them - if someone remembers who she is and can let me know, I'd appreciate it and will send her a PM.

Thanks,

-DB

 

[4-H chicken mom]

My DH puts the wild turkey feathers in the freezer if he doesn't have time to clean them.

 

[wolftracks]

Quote:
I have some feathers that are.......not kidding, 50 years old.

Freezing may work, but if you are scalding you may just be able to set them aside and let them dry.

I wash feathers, so if they aren't clean enough when she gets them, she can use dawn or a cheap shampoo and wash them. They lay them out to dry or use a blow dryer. I have even put them in the net bags for delicates and tossed them in a drier.

Most of mine just get cleaned and dried and if I need to do anything else to them I wait till I'm using them. A lot of times things I do with them mean I need to steam and reshape, but if I do that and set them away I usually have to do it again.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If I wanted to save feathers for crafts, I would either dry pluck or skin.

 

[wvchics]

I just hand wash and air dry in soapy water with dawn and oxy clean stain remover. Then I put them in gallon or quart bags depending on the kind of feather. If you are worried about mites or other pests you can freeze them in the bags until they get them. I constantly handle all my birds, and I clean their coop out about once a week. Almost daily I collect feathers though. So I don't freeze mine just seal them in Ziploc bags. Some people only clean up about once a year. If so, I would consider freezing them just in case.