Maybe Found some Chicken Feathers

[Dictionary]

I contacted a couple of people on Craigslist who housed chickens and asked if they'd be willing to give away some feathers. I don't know how or why they would keep feathers during this season...it was kind of a spontaneous thing to email them and ask. But i contacted someone who replied "sorry cant do it". Then i said i'd be willing to pay, and they said "call before you come". So i'm thinking of heading out there tomorrow. I know chicken feathers aren't ideal, but hey....use what you can right?


If there are actually any feathers and this person isnt just hurting for money, what should i look for? Wing or tail feathers, etc...anything would help seeing as i don't know what i'm really doing 

[Pat B]

Oh there will be plenty of feathers!  I hope you can get get some to use.

[bowtarist]

The main thing to look for w/ chicken feaths are three w/ about the same size quill from the same wing.  Remember fletching for one arrow should all be from the same wing.  You'll have to eyeball the tail feathers.  I like to use ckn. primaries (from the wing) fletched eastern style w/ three.  Tail feathers sometimes a two fletch eastern style.  I've never split a ckn. feather, I use them whole.
The middle arrow is ckn., the others turk. tail.  Take several bags w/ you and separate them as you go, I sometimes use tape and get em put in three packs as I go.  Have fun and let's see some pics of your haul!  dpg

[Dictionary]

I went over there today and he wasn't home but someone else there told me to come back tomorrow. We'll see what happens.


Also what is the difference between primary and secondary feathers?

[bowtarist]

I may be a little off here, correct me if I am, the primaries are the 6(?) longest feaths on each wing.  Secondaries are the others.  Pretty sure that's close to true.  dpg

[Justin Snyder]

Just a personal preference, but I don't like chicken feathers. I think they are too small. I certainly wouldn't pay for chicken feathers.

[Dictionary]

Just a personal preference, but I don't like chicken feathers. I think they are too small. I certainly wouldn't pay for chicken feathers.

I can't figure out another way to get any feathers....

[Ifrit617]

Just a personal preference, but I don't like chicken feathers. I think they are too small. I certainly wouldn't pay for chicken feathers.

I can't figure out another way to get any feathers....

Trading Post!!! 

[Bevan R.]

What part of the country you in Dictionary?
Here (Western Nebraska) I have watched the classified adds in the paper for people advertising goose cleaning services. Many times they will give you the entire wings, or charge a very small (I think the last I paid was 25 cents) per wing.
I also check with the people I work with and know that turkey hunt and get the wings & tails if they do not want them.

As Ifrit says, look around for something you can throw on the trade thread. See what you can get.

If the chickens are allow to fully mature, and depending on what breed they are, the primaries should work as fletch. Take a ruler with you. measure the usable part of the feather. Make sure you are getting big enough feathers to make fletches out of.

[Justin Snyder]

Just a personal preference, but I don't like chicken feathers. I think they are too small. I certainly wouldn't pay for chicken feathers.

I can't figure out another way to get any feathers....

Chicken primaries are long enough, but usually only give you a feather height of less than 1/2". They are really hard to work with also. I like to start with 3/4 inch and trim them down to 1/2 after they are glued on. I killed a full grown Rhode Island Red rooster last week. The primaries were 8" long, but only about 3/8" tall.

Go to the local golf course or park that has geese on their ponds. You can usually pick up goose primary feathers there.

[Dictionary]

I'm gonna head over to the local park and look around.....i thought geese only lose feathers during molting season which is like june or august right?

I think i'll still go back tomorrow. Since you guys consider chicken feathers to be the lowest of the low, what would be a good price per feather? Just curious

[Bevan R.]

I just looked on the auction site, you can get processed full length turkey for about 50 cents each.

Offer him a penny a piece and work your way up to what you think you can spend.

[Dictionary]

I just looked on the auction site, you can get processed full length turkey for about 50 cents each.

Offer him a penny a piece and work your way up to what you think you can spend.

the auction site? Could u direct me to this link?

[bowtarist]

I think a penny a piece is really too high, IMO.  You're doing him a favor by cleaning up a bit.  I think ckn. tails are too flimsy, but the primaries are usable. 

[crooketarrow]

 I also don't use chicken feathers because there not tall enough for me.
  A primary is the first 7 or 8 feathers of the wing. You can tell a primary it has that stiffest when you run your finger down it where sec's. and are alot solfer. And are the back part of the wing.
  I use mainly wild turkeys but have used hypers form a turkey farm. These are uselly unuse'll in there own ways. They make some really nice looking different arrows.