The feathers do have unique properties! There's something inherently magical to it, heat does radiate off of it (not an unbearable heat, but a single feather could certainly keep someone's hands warm on a chilly winter day for example). Should someone know how to utilize the magic in the feathers (if they are familiar with such practices), they might be able to use it to cast magic in a limited capacity (a fire spell or haste upon themselves). However, that burns the feather up, even if the attempt ends in failure.