Anybody know how much down you get on average from one duck? I want to use the feathers from my meat ducks for a down comforter but I'm not sure how many I'll need (ducks) before I start making the cover. Also what all do I need to do to the feathers before they go in? I searched the internet and all I get is ranting about how inhumane down products are :/ .
duck down
- Thread starter arctally
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rhoda_bruce
Almost Self-Reliant
I'll take a stab at it.
I was raised kinda rough and my grandmother and parents made us work. I'd help Mawmaw pluck wild ducks in the shed. I now pluck my own domestic ducks and sometimes wild ducks.
As far as domestic goes....I'd guess that it would take from 15 to 20 nice size ducks to fill an old pillow case (which is what we have always done). When Mawmaw had enough to stuff a pillow, she would use tough denim fabric to make one, so that is what I do.
I'd guess that when you have enough feathers to stuff 2 pillows, you could probably estimate that you could bat a quilt....I mean, it will be stuffed much lighter and then quilted in place. You will need a good amount, but maybe you could just start saving them and put the word out to a friend that also slaughters water fowl.
I can tell you that when my godfather went hunting, we'd have to pluck many, many ducks before we had something worth talking about. Much smaller birds.
I was raised kinda rough and my grandmother and parents made us work. I'd help Mawmaw pluck wild ducks in the shed. I now pluck my own domestic ducks and sometimes wild ducks.
As far as domestic goes....I'd guess that it would take from 15 to 20 nice size ducks to fill an old pillow case (which is what we have always done). When Mawmaw had enough to stuff a pillow, she would use tough denim fabric to make one, so that is what I do.
I'd guess that when you have enough feathers to stuff 2 pillows, you could probably estimate that you could bat a quilt....I mean, it will be stuffed much lighter and then quilted in place. You will need a good amount, but maybe you could just start saving them and put the word out to a friend that also slaughters water fowl.
I can tell you that when my godfather went hunting, we'd have to pluck many, many ducks before we had something worth talking about. Much smaller birds.
- Thread starter
- #3
thanks, that gives me an idea at least. I have eight ducklings now (I may keep one or two) and two broods on the way, so maybe 15 to 20 more. My MIL has ducks but she doesn't have them penned (because they're so happy running around and swimming in the canal...
) so the neighbor dog kills the ducks the moment they start setting. She prob won't have any ducklings this year. Maybe I can have a comforter by winter after this coming one 
.
) so the neighbor dog kills the ducks the moment they start setting. She prob won't have any ducklings this year. Maybe I can have a comforter by winter after this coming one .
