Homes Made From Chicken Feathers Would Be Termite Resistant
Homes Made From Chicken Feathers Would Be Termite Resistant
Houses are typically built with cellulose containing timber, which termites love to munch on. Of course there are also block houses made of cement, but even these homes are not termite-proof fortresses. Termites can travel through cement cracks in order to reach wooden objects. But the natural world offers humanity many different types of materials that could be used for construction. Certainly some of these materials must repel termites. As it turns out, there are natural materials that can both repel termites and benefit the environment. Believe it or not, chicken feathers happen to be an example of one of these termite-repellent materials. But can chicken feathers be used to build homes? Well, according to a Filipino scientist the answer is “yes”. According to Dr. Menandro Acda, chicken feathers can be used to build houses that are resistant to termite infestations, as termite feathers are inedible.
Dr. Acda is a professor at the University of the Philippines, and his recent feather-based material is being praised by experts as an ideal use of chicken feathers. Chicken feathers are not only inedible to termites, but some parts of the world, such as the Philippines, struggle with an overabundance of chicken feathers that litter the environment. Using chicken feathers for construction projects would allow millions of kilos of chicken feather-waste to be removed safely. Chicken feathers are difficult to dispose of without harming the environment. For example, burning the feathers is difficult, and it releases harmful gasses into the environment. The poultry industry in the Philippines produces 2.4 million tons of chicken feathers a year. Using these feathers to build structures would save money that is typically spent on feather disposal methods and termite damages.
Dr Acda has developed boards made from compressed cement and chicken feathers. The feathers would replace wood-chips that are currently used to create housing panels. It is these wood-chips that are currently attacked by termites and other damaging insect pests. The feathers are both inedible as well as nearly inflammable. Homefires would not spread as quickly with feathers used in place of woodchips on housing panels. The use of chicken feathers can potentially save billions in economic costs if Dr. Acda’s dream is ever fully realized.
Do you believe that termite infestations are less common in regions with high populations of wild chickens?