I posted an article about the chicken industry in 2015. Then, 50 billion chickens were raised and killed for food every year. While industrial meat production for other animals has mostly remained about the same, nine years later in 2024, 75 billion chickens are now raised and killed each year. So below, I have updated the article:
From 75 billion chickens killed each year, industrial farmers around the world throw away almost all of their feathers: 8 billion pounds into landfills. The chicken farming business is so competitive that farmers make only a few cents on each bird. farmers would rather sell the feathers than throw them away. There is always hope: universities and private research labs continue to research ways to transform feather proteins into usable products; some are finding their way into the market, but most are in development to make them economically vialble. Here is a list:
fertilizer ● animal feed ● extracts for liquid and solid fuel ● hydrogen fuel storage ● insulation ● absorbent materials for diapers and environmental contaminants such as radioactive strontium and cesium ● ingredients in paints ● filters ● mats for erosion control ● paper ● stuffing for furniture and mattresses ● moldable thermoplastics for soles of shoes, cups and plates, furniture, roofing, and for auto parts such as dashboards ● ingredients in cosmetics ● clothing ● boat construction (mixed with fiberglass ● and circuit boards.
For the past 10 years, I have observed this research come up with intriguing possibilities but when they come to market them, there has been little success. So feathers continue to find their way into landfills.
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (2023)