Removing feathers with the the quill intact.

[madcrow]

There has been some discussion on how to remove the turkeys wing feathers with the quill on.  Some cut them, some boil them, some pull really hard.  This is the way that works best and quickest for me.  I used to call it the cut and cuss method.  Usually I would be cutting and I wife would come in and start cussing.  Now, after 20 years, she just shakes her head and thinks I am an idiot.  The first thing you need is some turkey wings and a sharp knife.





I was finished with the first wing when I thought of this, so I already have the feather pile started.  I knew if I looked long enough, I would find the pic that I needed.



I start the knife between the wingbone and the feathers and slice down the bone, around the elbow and as far up to the tip as I can.  At one point, the knife will stop because of the way the primaries grow at the tip.  When I can't slice around the bone anymore, I slice up between two primaries to seperate the bones from the rest of the wing.





This wing had a few feathers left on, but I will get those out.  The other wing only had two primaries left.  It could be the way I was holding the knife.







After I split the skin with the knife, I scraped the skin down with my thumb nail.

[madcrow]

One gentle tug and they will pull right out.



A few feathers later, you are left with a wing that is ready for deboning.



Now for the rest of the wing. 



I use my favorite kitchen knife to slice about an inch or so of the skin that is holding the feather in, give it a pull and go to the next one.





Occasionally, some of the skin wants to stay attached, but it will peel off with either the thumb nail, or a knife.  Most of the time, if the sheaths for the quills are split one at a time, and the feather removed after each split, the skin will stay intact.  The first wing I did, I split one at a time and pulled the feather out.  On this one, I split all of the sheaths.  Each one I pulled had a chunk of skin still attached.  There was no big time delay, it only takes a few seconds extra to pull the chunks off.

[madcrow]

Here is the end result.  The quills are intact, not crushed and ready for whatever you need them for.



It takes a little longer for me because I pluck all of the feathers and my brother uses the smaller ones for fly tying.  Usually about ten minutes per wing to pluck everything and debone.

[Josh]

hey it was me that was asking about the feathers.  Thanks for the very informative post.  Great pictures!!   

[madcrow]

You're welcome.  I hope they help you and some of the others out.

[Timo]

Real nice how to madcow. I trade my right wings to a fella up north and he trades me back his lefts. He wants all of his cut off the bone like you explained, then I just have to borax them until later.  the way you show it is the best way I think. Nice pics!

[AKAPK]

Thanks Mr, I tried your technique ,works sweet the only thing I did different was use the knife whith the Handle end levered on the table so I would'n't cut the quill to get the gunk off the quill,Nice work.Phillip

[Michael C.]

I probably have 1-2 more years before my application for eagle feathers will be filled, but this will help me out once I get them. I figure taking out eagle feathers can't be much different than this, most of the ones I have seen do the boil and pull method. It always seemed sort of risky considering they were working with feathers that take forever to get and I was hoping to find something like this to minimize the possibility of ruining them. Thanks for posting this.

[El Destructo]

I just let the Flies take care of them.....they don't eat the Feathers....the Maggot only want the Rotten Meat........