Inventory: Feather

Every player of Minecraft Bedrock who has ever constructed a chicken coop, sheep pen, or cow enclosure outside their home knows the struggle all too well and vows never to make that mistake again. The noise is simply unbearable! Regardless of whether it’s day or night, you’ll be subjected to heart-wrenching cries that seem to escalate with each passing moment. Eventually, your patience will wear thin; you’ll grab your diamond sword, step outside, and start swinging wildly in every direction. Once the dust settles and your heartbeat returns to normal, you’ll find nothing but feathers where your chickens once were. Just what we came here for.

Feathers were introduced during the development phase of Minecraft 0.31. Initially, they dropped from every mob, but there wasn’t much use for them since the only item craftable was arrows. Later on, feathers were refined so that they would only drop from zombies and then from chickens as well. It took some time before everything fell into place: zombies left behind only rotten flesh, while feathers became exclusive to chickens.

It’s quite odd that zombies used to drop feathers. This decision stemmed from the developers of Minecraft struggling to determine what zombies should leave behind, and apparently, feathers seemed like the best option. Imagine if someone at a pillow factory attempted to resurrect zombies. I hope that’s just my imagination running wild…

As of now, there are four ways to obtain feathers. First, there’s the chickens, which drop one or sometimes two feathers upon death. The second method is similar, but this time it’s parrots instead of chickens. The third way involves finding feathers in chests after shipwrecks. What about the fourth method? Did I say there were four? Alright, the fourth method will appear in the upcoming “Village and Pillage” update, but I can’t reveal any details—it’s a secret. All I can say is that you’ll likely want to keep this fluffy creature close to your home.

In addition to arrows, feathers can be used to craft books and quills (with ink and paper), as well as firework stars (using gunpowder and dyes). By adding a feather to a firework star, you create an explosion effect that looks stunning.

Look at how this tiny dinosaur lunges at the tree with full force.

Now, let’s return to real-world feathers. Have you ever noticed how fascinating and mysterious they are? Next time you get the chance to pick up a feather, take a closer look—it’s incredibly intriguing! They’re made of keratin, the same material found in hair, nails, claws, and horns, yet feathers are much softer and fluffier. They come in various sizes, colors, and shapes. The primary functions of feathers include aerodynamics, temperature regulation for birds, camouflage, and communication. In short, they are not only beautiful but also play a crucial role in the life of any bird!

From an evolutionary perspective, feathers are among the most complex structures ever developed. It’s believed that they originated from reptilian scales that grew longer and began to develop fringed edges (which helped retain warmth). However, scientists remain uncertain about this theory. Debates regarding the evolution of feathers continue to this day. One thing is certain: dinosaurs with proto-feathers (the term for feathers before they evolved into their current form) existed around 125 million years ago.

Wait, feathered dinosaurs? Yes! Many species of dinosaurs—even those that didn’t fly—had feathers, and they had them for quite some time. In fact, modern birds descended directly from early dinosaurs, and we’ve discovered feathers preserved in amber that prove this connection. You must admit, birds do resemble tiny dinosaurs.

So, the next time you’re chasing a chicken in Minecraft Pocket Edition, picture it as a little dinosaur. I think you’ll find it much more interesting and entertaining. Hmm, I know what I’m going to do next!