feather "treatment"

[fowlmood77 0]

I just recieved some nice pheasant feathers from a friend. I ave heard that you can put them in the freezer for a week or two to kill the lil bugs that might do harm to them. Will this work, and is it the best way?

[crappie 0]

Wash them first and let them dry. Then put in a zip lock bag for a week. Take out for a week and put back in for a week. Do this three times. I have never had a bug problem doing this. Never open the bag.

I also cut a few inches off the end of the stem to make sure there is no flesh on it.

 

Crappie

[CM_Stewart 0]

Then put in a zip lock bag for a week. Take out for a week and put back in for a week. Do this three times.

 

If the first time you put them in the zip lock, you put a moth ball (paradichlorobenzene) in with them, you don't have to worry about the in-out-in-out-in-out-in routine. It will kill any bugs and their eggs. I've heard that freezing will kill bugs but not eggs. Don't know from first hand experience, as I always just use mothballs. Besides, I figure any conversation that begins with "Honey, why are these feathers in the freezer?" "They're there to kill the bugs." isn't going to end well.

[Josho 0]

"Honey, why are these feathers in the freezer?" "They're there to kill the bugs."

 

Been there, done that, lost the fight.

 

Josh