I butchered a rooster a few nights ago and I did something a little differently that I'd like to share. I always skin chickens because I don't like the skins, but I don't like the way this wastes the feathers. I don't like plucking either. So I took my kitchen shears and gave the rooster a feather cut as he hung upside down minus head. By cutting all most of the feathers it also gave me better access to the skin to cut it. All in all, this sped up the skining process because I wasn't having to fight all those feathers. Hope this helps someone else. By the way, the reason I want the feathers is for a featherbed. I hate having all those feathers and not being able to use them. annette

-- annette (j_a_henry@yahoo.com), November 21, 2001

Answers

Thanks for the tip. I'd be interested in what you use the feathers for.

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), November 21, 2001.

". By the way, the reason I want the feathers is for a featherbed"

LOL.........just could not help myself Ann. I did the same thing a while back and then right after I posted looked at it and said "duuuuhhhh". ;>)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), November 21, 2001.

Hi, soon I will be slaughtering and de-feathering too. I am interested in the feather bed concept. Could you share the process of making a feather bed ie. how you clean the feathers, whether you cut off the sharp bit (quill ? ) from the bottom of them, etc. I have often thought of how I could make use of the feathers. Thanks.

-- Maryanne in Australia (maryanoel@bigpond.com), November 21, 2001.