Clever Christmas and decorative ideas for your chicken feathers from Traci DeLore

Some chicken feathers are too beautiful to leave outside, so I’m sharing some ideas for saving and displaying feathers from your flock.

The first thing to keep in mind is how to select feathers. I only select feathers that are clean. I never use feathers found on the droppings board below the roost, no matter how pretty it is. Feathers found on the lawn, however, are fair game.

Second, look for feathers that are intact and not separated. If there are just one or two separated areas, you can gently use your fingers to coax them back together.

Finally, remember that different feathers are suited for different ideas and displays. Downy feathers are much easier to display in some sort of loose setting. Sturdier wing and tail feathers are better suited to other displays.

Feather craft ideas

One of my favorite Christmas ornaments is this one filled with a collection of feathers from my flock.

My favorite DIY chicken feather craft was probably the easiest one to make. I purchased some clear plastic ornaments at the craft store and collected an assortment of soft, downy feathers from my chickens.

Then I carefully placed the feathers inside the ornament. I made sure to select a mix of colors and place them so you can see them all. It sits front and center on our family’s Christmas tree every year. It’s even more special as time passes because not all the chickens that “donated” feathers are still with us.

My daughter made a bookmark for herself with feathers saved from her pet cockatiel laminated on a piece of card stock.

My daughter used feathers – admittedly from her pet cockatiel – to make a bookmark for herself. A sheet of card stock and a laminator were all she needed. She selected the color of card stock she wanted and trimmed it to a size that worked. Then she arranged the feathers carefully before placing the card     stock in the laminating sheet and sending it through the machine. If you don’t have a laminator, clear Contact Paper would also work.

Feather display ideas

A simple bundle of feathers tied with a ribbon serves as remembrance for my hen Princess that I lost to a raccoon.

For certain chickens that have been special to me, I have collected a few feathers after they passed on and tied them into a bundle with a ribbon. They hang in my office as a reminder.

My daughter started this collection when she was just a young girl – before we even had chickens. Whenever she sees a feather that strikes her fancy, she brings it home and adds it to this display on top of a wicker stand in her room.

My daughter, who can’t pass up a pretty feather no matter the bird, displays a huge array of feathers along the top of a wicker stand in her bedroom. She simply pokes them through the woven wicker in whatever way strikes her fancy.

Once, a molting chicken left a handful of feathers behind with me. I tied them together to make a toy for my cat!

While this isn’t really a craft, our cat Simon loved playing with a bunch of feathers dropped by a molting chicken.

I’ve heard some people use feathers to make earrings or other jewelry. Feathers from your own chickens would be a great option if you ever wanted to try your hand at making your own dreamcatcher. The possibilities for saving and displaying feathers are almost endless, so be creative and show off that beautiful plumage.

What other ways can you think of to save and display feathers from your flock?

Traci DeLore grew up around chickens on her family’s farm, but didn’t start keeping her own chickens until she was in her 40s. Her desire to keep chickens came from a desire to have her own fresh eggs from chickens she knew were well cared for and happy. Traci started with six chickens – and then chicken math took over. These days, she has about 60 chickens — and three “rotten” ducks. (I say this because having ducks is like living with toddlers.) Traci also raises and processes her own meat chickens on occasion. Follow her on Instagram.