Comments on: Feathered lapel pins

By: Chirae

Chirae — Thu, 01 May 2008 18:06:43 +0000

I guess this is the first post to this thread in 6 months, but I just came across this page today…

Thanks for the info on the peacocks! I was about ready to go beg a petting zoo owner to let me have feathers dropped by an ostrich so I wouldn't be supporting the ranches!

I"ll probably spend all night reading this site. The Knot was starting to make me gag.

By: Siouxzi

Siouxzi — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 16:46:24 +0000

We used peacock feathers as aisle markers and I used a few in my hat veil as well. I wanted to mark the aisle a touch but didn't want to pay for a big slab of material to get walked all over.

By: Tiah

Tiah — Sun, 02 Dec 2007 21:33:25 +0000

I'm having a peacock themed wedding. All the feather's that I bought so far are from peacock farms and the feathers are only collected during molts. Aside from that, the peacock colors are going to be carried into my dress (purple and peacock teal), into the invitations, and into carious other aspects of decor.

By: Rebecca Faulkner

Rebecca Faulkner — Sat, 01 Dec 2007 03:36:16 +0000

Yay for peacock themed weddings! I'm having one in honor of my fiance's last name: "Paunovich" means "son of peacock" in serbian!

I found an ebay seller who sells humanely harvested peacock feathers from his own farm. Do a search for "humane feathers" on ebay and you will find him. He is a rabbi from Minnesota.

By: scunshine

scunshine — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:56:55 +0000

yes, ostriches do get killed for both meat and feathers, some family friends I knew when I was young had a farm. but for them, meat was a primary concern, not selling the feathers. I don't know if the farm would differ any if they were trying to sell feathers.

By: Me

Me — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 21:50:38 +0000

So someone actually does pick the feathers up off the ground! I find that incredibly cool and endearing.

However, another quick search for ostrich feathers shows some less happy possibilities, including plucking them as well as killing them for meat, leather, and soap.

Has anyone ever heard of fake feathers? Maybe I should figure out how to make them and go into business!

By: Lily

Lily — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:24:53 +0000

From some quick searching, Scunshine, is correct that most peacock feathers are harvested from their annual molting. As with any animal product, the care of the animals throughout the rest of the year is a consideration, but I would assume that in general, to get pretty feathers, the birds would need to be well cared for.

Other feathers may require plucking. I know that goose down does. I'm not sure about ostrich feathers.

By: scunshine

scunshine — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:13:38 +0000

I'm not sure about other kinds of feathers but most peacock feathers come from their natural, annual molt. I'm not sure if comparing them to a mink skin is the most appropriate.

By: Me

Me — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 20:09:45 +0000

Yes, I don't want to be a downer, but I agree with Vera. I am a vegetarian and I've always wondered if the birds are killed to get the feathers. And if not killed, certainly plucked; it's not like someone's picking them up off the ground, right? It's a fine line, as I do wear wool so maybe I shouldn't talk, but I guess I feel like shaving wool doesn't hurt like plucking would (like, it doesn't hurt to get my hair cut, but it does hurt if someone yanks a hair out of my head…). Does anyone know if there are fake feather alternatives? I like the look but worry about the animal cruelty factor.

By: Vera

Vera — Thu, 29 Nov 2007 19:28:38 +0000

What about the animals that are killed to get the feathers? Why not carry a mink bouquet?