Harvesting Down feathers

[Roadtorque]

I'm just curious and don't have much time for research this morning. How is goose down harvested? Do they raise the birds to a certain age before collecting the down? Is the bird killed in the process, if not how much down can a bird produce in its lifetime? Is the down feathers hand picked from the birds, machine processed, or do the birds naturally shed the feathers? Thanks to anyone who knows the answers.

[JerryW]

There was a recent Dirty Jobs show about this. They were dealing with wild geese, but the process is the same. It involves a machine with rubber fingers that strips the bird clean. The process is not for those with a weak stomach.

Jerry

[Cannibal]

There is passively harvested down, but it is crazy kinds of expensive. With that method, they collect fallen down and feathers from the nests. Last time I looked, it was about 4 to 5 times the cost. Animal cruelty is a very, very, very big deal to Genuine Draft. She'll only eat eggs from free range chicken farms, milk from 'happy cow' farms, etc., so we looked at this option. Cost won over principals in this particular case.

[whitefoot_hp]

There is passively harvested down, but it is crazy kinds of expensive. With that method, they collect fallen down and feathers from the nests. Last time I looked, it was about 4 to 5 times the cost. Animal cruelty is a very, very, very big deal to Genuine Draft. She'll only eat eggs from free range chicken farms, milk from 'happy cow' farms, etc., so we looked at this option. Cost won over principals in this particular case.

cannibal, sometimes 'free range' chicken farms are merely farms where the same old chicken houses have doggie doors, that the chickens don't even use.
i respect the principles but sometimes the 'free range' food is more a marketing gimmick than anything else.

to the OP, the more expensive goose down is harvested from younger geese. its higher loft.

[Cannibal]

cannibal, sometimes 'free range' chicken farms are merely farms where the same old chicken houses have doggie doors, that the chickens don't even use.
i respect the principles but sometimes the 'free range' food is more a marketing gimmick than anything else.

Oh believe me, we know! She spends hours reading thru that stuff and is a card carrying PETA member, so I guess it's true what they say about opposites attracting each other.
But, she's so darn cute.

[vitamaltz]

Climashield Apex could be pretty darn competitive with down and might come out ahead in the peace-of-mind category. It's still going to be less compressible, but I don't mind having a big but light pack.

Now if only someone would by AYCE's XP supply so that he could stock up on the new stuff...

XP is awesome, by the way - I'm not knocking it. I just want the latest and greatest.

[Hawk-eye]

... But, she's so darn cute.

Famous last words of many a good man!

[Doctari]

Eider Down is harvested from the nests. There is a very limited time it can be collected: after the nest is built, but before the first egg is layed, and the Eider couple must have time to re-line the nest. May be part of the reason why Eider is so expensive.

[gargoyle]

PETA? People Eating Tasty Animals?

[MacEntyre]

There was a recent Dirty Jobs show about this.

There's a great quote at the end of that clip:

"Everything you say should be on a tee shirt, woman!"