What to do with feathers.

[Faraday40]

@Molpet
BTW - You may recognize these turkey feathers. The year you gave me some, everyone got Thanksgiving cards and pretty Bday cards. A few feathers & scraps of paper & ribbon go a long way.

 

[Molpet]

@Molpet
BTW - You may recognize these turkey feathers. The year you gave me some, everyone got Thanksgiving cards and pretty Bday cards. A few feathers & scraps of paper & ribbon go a long way.

Yes I do, Narragansett turkey

 

[slbenter]

Ohmygosh, I made that penguin card for my husband last Valentine’s Day! Got the idea off Pinterest, mine didn’t have a feather in it. I love making cards. You do some nice work.

 

[Chris-n-Kate]

Do you dry them before you put them in the bag or when you get ready to use them?

 

[Faraday40]

Do you dry them before you put them in the bag or when you get ready to use them?

Wet feathers would probably grow mold.

I collect all sorts of feathers & just store them dry in bags. I keep them sorted in gallon ziplock bags by color (or by hen/rooster) I can squeeze out the air, so the bags do not take up much room at all. The wildlife places put found bird feathers in the freezer to kill off mites & such, so I make sure to keep mine sealed & in the garage. (We go well below 0'F each winter.)

When I'm ready to use some for a project, I select several handfuls of feathers to clean in boiling water and leave out to dry. Any extras that were cleaned &/or dyed but not used for the craft, get put into a diff bag and stored in my art cabinet. These are handy to grab for something little like a card accent.


* If your feathers are already wet from scalding & plucking, then you might as well add a bit of detergent to wash & rinse before drying & storing.

 

[Faraday40]

Ohmygosh, I made that penguin card for my husband last Valentine’s Day! Got the idea off Pinterest, mine didn’t have a feather in it. I love making cards. You do some nice work.

I always make cards for the family, and encourage my kids to do the same. The valentine was for my penguin-loving son. We probably saw the same or similar inspiration.

Art can be a fun hobby, creative outlet, and doesn't have to cost anything.

 

[Floof]

I've read that you can use them to make down pillows, blankets, coats, etc. When you pluck your birds, save the feathers into a pillow case, tie it off, and toss it into the washer and dryer. The next time I have a group of chickens and ducks to do I plan to make a new down quilt for my bed!

 

[Faraday40]

I've read that you can use them to make down pillows, blankets, coats, etc. When you pluck your birds, save the feathers into a pillow case, tie it off, and toss it into the washer and dryer. The next time I have a group of chickens and ducks to do I plan to make a new down quilt for my bed!

I see you have Dominiques in your avatar. I've heard they make the nicest pillows. (softer feathers & lower odor when wet)

 

[Fluffyflufffluff]

I have only processed once and threw the feathers away, but got to thinking there might be better options. Can the leftover feathers be used in the nest box?

I checked my pillows, and they are made with like synthetic thread-like materials is the feather in pillows just a myth? If i have as many chickens as you do.. believe me, I will try..

 

[ShannonR]

I checked my pillows, and they are made with like synthetic thread-like materials is the feather in pillows just a myth? If i have as many chickens as you do.. believe me, I will try..

You can still buy feather pillows, but they are no longer the norm. More of a luxury thing... which I never understood because I found mine to be uncomfortable. Feathers just dont offer my head the right kind of support. By morning, the feathers seem to be in every part of the pillow EXCEPT for the part ny head is resting on.

Decorative or accent pillows would be really cool, though.