Advise on Dealing with Whole Birds

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

I got these in a box lot of vintage materials. One is a Golden Pheasant, the other a Lady Amherst. Both have been stored in ziplock bags for a number of years. In order to fit, they had to be folded to some degree. As a result the Golden hasn't done too badly, but the Lady Amherst has become somewhat disheveled. Right now I have it flattened and pressed between a couple of books. What's the best way to store and/or process these to avoid any further problems? Should they be plucked and sorted or is it best to leave them whole and pluck what feathers I need, as needed? The tail feathers were removed years ago and came in a seperate bag.

Thanks for any help or advise.

 

Rob

[SBPatt 0]

is it best to leave them whole and pluck what feathers I need, as needed?

 

That's what I do.

 

Regards,

Scott

[lykos33 0]

WB54, I would agree with SBPatt,leave 'em on the skin till you need 'em. Welcome to the forum and keep posting and asking questions...is what I do ...

Murray

[nick2011 0]

i think it really depends on how much space you have and how much time you want to invest in organizing them, i just leave mine whole and pluck as i go.you can cut away old skin as the pelt gets smaller. i find that plucking them and storing them often leads to materials getting burried and forgotten.

 

NICK

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

Thanks fellas! Sounds like good advise to me.

Any suggestions for a good way to store them? I really don't like stuffing them into gallon ziplock bags. Maybe a properly sized Tupperware style container?

 

Rob

[troutguy 0]

I have 40 and 50 year old bird skins. They can always be carefully washed (use gentle soap sparringly like Woolite or Johnsons kid shampoo) or even carefully steamed over a teapot and redried with a little Boarx if necessary to the skin side. Pin them to cardboard in a clean dry place to dry and they can be repaired.

[mikechell 0]

I'd love to look at those pictures, but they are way too big.

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

Great! They could use a good cleaning.

Mike, i'm trying to work out the picture thing, but havn't figured it out yet. Sorry.

 

Rob

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

Pic attempt

 

http://

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

another try

 

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

nope the best thing to do with that lady amherst since it is so bad is to throw the pelt right in the ziploc it came in and mail it to me for propper disposal I don't think you should even attempt pressing its way to far gone

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

Better, but still kinda big. Let's try this one.

 

 

Rob

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

LOL! Well Paul, maybe i'll just throw 'er to the dogs if you think she's that far gone. Save time and postage that way.

Naw, she's still a purty bird, even with all her ruffled feathers. With my rookie skills as a tyer, I really have no buisiness having these birds. I kinda feel like I need to wait for my skills to develop before even plucking the first feather.

 

Rob

[riffleriversteelheadslayer 0]

oh no don't throw her to the dogs we wouldn't want them to get bird flu or anything

[WhiteBuffalo58 0]

Yah, I suppose i'll spare them the misery. Wouldn't make much of a chew toy anyway.

I was sorting through some of the furs that came in this box lot out on the picnic table the other day. I thought I was gonna have to take a stick to my Rat Terrier, he was just bound and determined they were supposed to be his!

 

Rob