I'm wanting to know what most think on tumbling vs blowdrying birds. I've tried both and found advantages and disadvantages to both. I would like others thoughts on this.
dp
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I have like tumbling but it is always good to blow off the bird after tumbling to get the feather good and fluffy.
If you are tumbling your birds until dry, are you not bending alot of feather ends? When tumbling to long your media gets forced into the wing feathers and is hard to remove. I tumble for 2 minutes only, then blow dry the rest of the way, and yes blow drying really fluffs the feathers back up.
I haven't used a drying drum.
After washing I pat dry and rinse the bird in alcohol and pat dry Then I blow dry with a hair drier and compressed air using a small nossle, adjustable speed air-gun. I never blow the ends of the flight or secondary flight feathers as this separates the barbels. The compressed air fluffs out the down and facilitates a fluffier look to the feathers. The alcohol combines with the water and causes it dry quicker.
tumbling can add a polish/luster to the feathers. blowdrying helps get the last moisture out of the down, allowing the feather to fluff. Take a "practice" chunk of skin, cut in half, prep each way and compare.