The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Crafts => Topic started by: MAK on September 20, 2012, 10:04:08 pm

Title: Duck down.
Post by: MAK on September 20, 2012, 10:04:08 pm

We have a few more ducks to process soon.
Can anyone tell me if we need to "wash" or process the duck down before we can use it to stuff pillows etc ? I say we but Chris is the nominated craft person here.
We have no plans for the down yet other than not to keep on chucking it.
thanks
Martin

Title: Re: Duck down.
Post by: Lesley Silvester on September 20, 2012, 10:42:50 pm

I read the subject the wrong way and wondered why you had to duck down?  What were you avoiding?   :dunce: :roflanim:   Must be nearly bed time.

Title: Re: Duck down.
Post by: Sylvia on September 21, 2012, 03:21:52 pm

Punch a load of holes in a biscuit tin, put your down/feathers in and put in a very hot oven for a few minutes. This will kill any mites/nasties. If you wash them they will lose their "downiness"

Title: Re: Duck down.
Post by: PetiteGalette on October 24, 2012, 09:07:53 pm

MAK, chucking it??? Ours (together with chicken/turkey/goose feathers) goes straight onto the first layer of our new raised beds and gets covered in layers of other 'goodies', then soil at Noel for planting later in spring.....................

Title: Re: Duck down.
Post by: deepinthewoods on October 24, 2012, 09:26:25 pm

feathers are a longlasting supply of nitrogen according to LDH.

Title: Re: Duck down.
Post by: MAK on October 24, 2012, 09:32:30 pm

Timeley responses as we plan to gather some feathers tomorrow .
We do not do raised beds but I'll have a look at the planner and dig it in. I do fancy a duck down pillow at some stage though- maybe next year.

Title: Re: Duck down.
Post by: Womble on October 24, 2012, 10:56:37 pm

Just be prepared to find out how little down you get from each duck!   I plucked all the best downy bits from our ten birds I did earlier this year. It's enough to stuff about 1/5 of a pillow!  ;D