Swan Feathers

[Hachi]

When thinking of using swan feathers as a bee brush which ones are best?

 

[JohnyP]

Any one you can get hold of without having your arm broken...

 

[Hachi]

 

[Jeff Buzz]

Any one you can get hold of without having your arm broken...

Some say a swan can break your arm with its wing......

I bet that I could break its wing with my arm!!!!

 

[ichbinpaul]

When thinking of using swan feathers as a bee brush which ones are best?

Last year I was trying to get hold of a decent Goose feather or three! as I had heard good about them, when my wife reminded me that I was about to pluck and do what yer do to 12 turkeys Duh! they are prety good feathers as it happens, still havnt tried Goose feathers though.

 

[Tom Bick]

When thinking of using swan feathers as a bee brush which ones are best?

Goose feathers are the traditional feather but no reason why any large bird feather would not work. Well perhaps not big bird.

I suppose geese feathers were readily available as plenty of people kept them I collect plenty as one of my sites have 6 geese and all I have to do is pick them up. They are not the best feathers as a bit tatty when the geese drop them naturally and I think they have to trim the feathers to stop them flying.

Apparently depending if you are right or left handed its best to have a feather from the left or right wing as the curve of the feather works in your favour, if that makes sense.

One final point they work great much better than the brush but they don’t last so long so a good regular supply is a good thing.

 

[pargyle]

Goose feathers are the traditional feather but no reason why any large bird feather would not work. Well perhaps not big bird.

I suppose geese feathers were readily available as plenty of people kept them I collect plenty as one of my sites have 6 geese and all I have to do is pick them up. They are not the best feathers as a bit tatty when the geese drop them naturally and I think they have to trim the feathers to stop them flying.

Apparently depending if you are right or left handed its best to have a feather from the left or right wing as the curve of the feather works in your favour, if that makes sense.

One final point they work great much better than the brush but they don’t last so long so a good regular supply is a good thing.

I thought it was the tail feathers that were the best from a goose ?

 

[Tom Bick]

To be honest I think the preferred brush was a goose wing and not just a feather.

 

[madasafish]

Turkey feathers here...Spoiled for choice..

 

[Davelin]

To be honest I think the preferred brush was a goose wing and not just a feather.

Indeed it was the wing. I remember my Dad using one quite a few years ago.

 

[Hachi]

All good advice now where is the best place to get some. Anybody know?

 

[Bee-Key-Pur]

Indeed it is the tip end of the goose wing, bone and all and last year I offered them to the forum for free, but this year I am growing turkeys....
May be next year for goose wings...

 

[dpearce4]

Indeed it is the tip end of the goose wing, bone and all and last year I offered them to the forum for free, but this year I am growing turkeys....
May be next year for goose wings...

And very good it was to thank you Bee Key Pur.

I was one of the left handed ones.

 

[Hachi]

Oh what!!!! story of my life... can I ask next year BKP please???

 

[Tom Bick]

Indeed it is the tip end of the goose wing, bone and all and last year I offered them to the forum for free, but this year I am growing turkeys....
May be next year for goose wings...

The site where there are the six geese two of the geese are jokingly called Christmas and Easter the only problem last year and they still have six geese. A classic case of getting attached and I have to admit me to interesting birds even when they are grumpy.

 

[Headnavigator]

Kayaking on a local river last w/e I picked up a dozen large swan feathers. Local swans still there and not looking bald so I assume the feathers were surplus to requirement. Should be sufficient to last me the rest of my beekeeping life; how can I best preserve the surplus so that they don't deteriorate? Any ideas?

 

[circe]

seagull feathers (if you live near coast they are always washed in) work very well and as they are coarse they don't get sting barbs caught on them ...