Others have tried to develop thermoplastics from feathers,” said Yiqi Yang, who reported on the research. “But none of them perform well when wet. Using this technique, we believe we’re the first to demonstrate that we can make chicken-feather-based thermoplastics stable in water while still maintaining strong mechanical properties.”

And I thought chicken feathers were only useful to ensure white bread is nice and fluffy.

Comedic value aside, the Reprap currently can use Polylactic acid (PLA), a bio-degradable polymer that can be produced from lactic acid, which can be fermented from crops such as maize. It is harder then PTFE and melts at a lower temperature (around 180°C to 220°C), so is potentially a very useful material for 3D printing but exhibits higher friction than PTFE however which can make it difficult to extrude and more susceptible to extruder jams.  The concept of using an animal waste product for plastic manufacture, either 3D printed or injection molded is a step away from reliance on fossil fuels for polymer production. 

Will the big guns in plastics and 3D printing start a rush of merger and acquisition in chicken farms next?