Freezing kills feather infesters?

[lestrout]

I found some little critters eating one of my hackle capes. I gave them 2 10 second bursts of microwave and am pretty sure that did them and their eggs in. But the chicken fat melted a bit and got some of the feathers a little oily.

Will freezing for a few days do in the critters and eggs?

tl
les

 

[NCPAtrtbum]

Best thing to do is soak 'em in a mild dish detergent and lukewarm water solution for a half hr or so, dry 'em out, borax and store them accordingly.

 

[Heritage-Angler]

Les - The surest way to guarantee you kill the eggs is to store the skin in mothballs containing paradichlorobenzene.

Some mothballs contain napthalene - that won't cut it.

If one skin is infested, others may be as well. Keep a mothball in each bag you store your capes in. Those critters can eat right through the bags.

H.A.

 

[franklin]

For the freezer method to work you have to get below -10 F. Most freezer compartments of refrigerators don't get that low.

I use the mothball approach per Heritage's suggestion.

 

[Tups]

Not a expert on these matters but I have a little experience preparing and using wild game bird feathers. I tan using salt and borax until all the fat is completely dried out. This is easiest in winter using the intense dry heat of the wood stove.

The microwave may be better than the freezer. Freezing tends to preserve rather than destroy. But the mocrowave boils the critters liquid parts and definitely kills. After tanning, I microwave for 20 seconds. Haven't had a problem yet - knock wood.

 

[shakey]

and remember to quarantine all new feathers. leave roadkill alone.it isn't worth it.

 

[ryguyfi]

shakey wrote:
leave roadkill alone.it isn't worth it.

Sounds like someone is speaking from experience??????

 

[studiomule]

You'd need a chest freezer without a frost-free setting to ensure that the temperature stays below -5 F. Freeze for 2 days, thaw for 1, freeze for another 2 days. This allows any eggs to think it is spring and begin to hatch. The second freeze will kill off anything left.