Hi all, I have a bit of a problem with my feathers on my magpie (Australian bird), I washed them and left to dry, but they seem to look...how should i put this...like they are all stuck together and a lot of skin is showing, and they don't look nice and fluffy at all. I don't have a tumbler, so what are the other easier ways to get the feathers looking 'normal' after washing. Should i wash the skin again? Any help and tips would be greaty appriciated!...;)
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Go ahead and wash the skin again; here's how I do it:
After defatting and fleshing wash the skin in Hot tapwater with a good degreaser; dawn, joy, liquid tide all work, I use Rittels super solvent.
Let the skin soak for 5 or 10 minutes, longer if especially greasy.
Remove the skin and dump the water, then do it again- don't forget the degreaser!
Hot water keeps the fats liquid and allows the degreaser to work much better; it will not damage the skin!
After the second wash I do a hot rinse, drain, and do a cold rinse.
Then soak the skin in solvent (I use white gas), use caution!
Leave in solvent for at least 15 minutes; I have left birds in solvent for 2 hours without problems.
Remove from solvent, lay skin out on a dry towel and gently press with another towel to remove excess solvent.
Now dry the feathers with a combination of air from a compressor, a shop vacuum, and a hair dryer in that order.
The compressor removes remaining heavy solvent in a hurry and raises the feather tracts from the skin; the shop vac delivers a lot of air in a broader stream to start the drying, and the hair dryer finishes the job, raising and fluffing all the down and feather groups.
Direct the air flow from the tail to the head lifting the feathers away from the skin, allowing the air to get under the feathers and blow the moisture away. Use a regulator to back brush the smaller feathers on the head and neck so the air can dry and fluff them to.
This might seem like extra work, but you will love the results!
would be to re-wash, towel dry very well, then use a strong hair dryer or reverse a carpet sweeper nozzle-- feathers must be dried down past the down feathers to the skin (patience)-- be sure to align feathers.
I need to remove stains from feathers, any ideas? Stains possibly from naturally occurring decay of carcass.