what can be done with feathers???

[Nicos]

Having just been talking about collecting some of my feathers which the birds are moulting- has got me wondering if anyone does anything with their feathers?
We are also about to cull 5 lads- and it seems such a waste to chuck their feathers away
I know my granny would have made pillows with them ( hopefully after checking for mites etc!!) but apart from pretty Xmas decorations with white ones ( my chooks are various shades of brown) I wonder what else they could be used for??

[Smoggy67]

Use them to decorate Dream catchers is my daughters contibution?
To which I replied
"If the dreamcatchers worked, they wouldn't be moulting and i'd have a trayfull of coloured eggs..."

Yes I admit it, im seeing chickens in my sleep..lol

[Nicos]

Yes I admit it, im seeing chickens in my sleep..lol

Ahhh..but do you understand what they are saying to you????

[MaureenHall]

Ahhh..but do you understand what they are saying to you????

Bokbokbokchookbokchook

[Birdie Wife]

I compost mine!

[Hilary B]

Feathers from birds plucked for eating need to be got really dry before you can use them for anything. I once considered putting some in a pillowcase (filled very loosely) and tumble-drying them on low heat, hoping this would also kill off any parasites. Then I decided that was too much like hard work......
They do compost nicely (once started), and have a high enough nitrogen content to boost the activity of the heap once they start breaking down.

[Polly Fouracre]

You can put them in a biscuit tin which has had holes punched in it and put it in a hottish oven to dry the feathers and kill insects.

[HayleyB]

Make indian headdresses

[Smoggy67]

Make a ticklestick like Ken Dodd... but besure to pay your taxes..lol

[MaureenHall]

Homemade feather dusters?

[RichmondHens]

Kids' projects - like home made cards, pictures etc?

[di]

Ooooh!!!I feel a Nicos competition coming on!!!

[Nicos]

Ooooh!!!I feel a Nicos competition coming on!!!

Ha!!!

...and the prize would be????

[bluemoon]

My friend is an artist. She asked me to keep all our feathers and had some sort of project in mind centreing around my chickens. We now have tons of them and she still hasn't been to collect them. Plus she's nagging me to get chickens with slightly more interesting colours, Though she does think that Coco is the most handsome chap she's ever seen, he's never shed a feather in all the time we've had him. I keep telling her I bought them for their egg laying potential, not as a precursor to a collage, but she doesn't seem to get it.

[di]

Maybe she could make the prize!?