EAST TEXAS HOG DOGGERS FORUM

 how many of yall feed raw chicken i am in the middle of wacking and stackin roosters just wondered how much you feed a dog at one
time per pound of dog say a 65-70 pound bitch dog
 just wanted some differnt veiws and ideals on the matter i feed them fresh eggs about 2 times a week with the kibble also
    give me your ideals
   Dexter

a lot of people feed raw chicken.  usually about 2lbs or so per dog if you're feeding just raw make sure it has plenty of bone in it.  the best way is to feed em a set amount and see how they keep and adjust from there just like anything else you feed.  If you go strictly RAW you need to add organ meats (liver, heart, kidneys) , and some fish (for omega 3's)  I know Uglydog, Cantexduck, and BlackGold do more of a Raw Diet than i do but that's the basic guideline for weight per dog.  maybe send them a pm or something.

  jordan
         i knew that  uglydog did and  blackgold did i just figured i would open it to a thread where all could benifit that might raise 
 yard birds and what ya dont eat feed it to the dogs kind of deal 
    Dexter
 btw thanks for the info

well, i know the backs and necks or chicken cadges are pretty good for the dogs just given the bone to meat ratio.  not a whole lot of people use those these days.  chicken tails too i'd imagine not that there's much to em. 

Dexter,

My Beetle (85 lbs) and Doe (75 lbs) get about 2 pounds per day.  Backs, necks, and cadges alternated with beef sternum (brisket) bones.

Hornet (100 lbs) gets around 1 pound per day due to the fact that at 2 lbs he gets fat quick.  Think you just gotta play with it and realize their individual metabolism.  Hornet would be obese at the same feed rate that maintains his smaller sister.

I weighed a bunch at first but have gotten pretty good at just eye-balling amounts and that is what I do now. 

Hornet will be with me at EXPO so yall can see what feeding raw produces.  Hornet ate kibble for about a week when we moved, but other than that has been 100% RAW diet his whole life.  Chicken, beef, fish, and venison.

 Cody
 thank you  for the info  hmmmm fish i have fed a few hulls from  cleaning fish  but spring is on the way  go out and sling some spears
at some carp and  feed it to them  just think about all the dog food in the mississippi river with the big head carp
       Dexter

Dexter, My little yella catahoula helped herself to a raw rooster on its feet this week and she says she can eat the whole bird! when I got home she was still on her chain so I guess that roo messed up and got to close, but she did not waste anything, head, feet, most feathers and all! Only reason I knew that she got him was she was still pulling meat off the last of the wing popo
 I would think after your dogs get accustomed to an all RAw program for a dog that size you could get away with a pound & half, just depends on the individual dog. Like Cody I mostly Eye ball it.
I have been feeding way more kibble these days.

i feed raw but what i do is feed my pigs i get but i also go to my local feed store and get them to make a mixture of corn meal bone meal and fish meal then i take and boil that into a mush after that i take the meat and grind it like you would sausage and mix it all together lots of work but have a walk in cooler so i only do it about 2 a month and put it in the cooler and use it as needed i feed bout 8 to 10 dogs on avg for about 40 bucks a month works for me cause i have the facilities to make it keep so i don't have to do it everyday

Google "100% RAW diet dogs" and then google "BARF diet dogs"  100% RAW is a diet that believes carbs in the form of grains are bad for dogs and only feeds 100% meat/bone diet.  (which I subscribe to)

The BARF diet uses natural grains and vegetables as well as meat (sometimes cooked and sometimes raw).

You have to decide what you believe in and what you feel is better.

I did find the RAW book that convinced me to make the switch.  It is easy reading and can be read in one day.  If anyone wants to borrow it I can bring it to EXPO.


NOTE:  If you decide to switch from kibble to 100% RAW the first few days will be rough on your dog.  The diarrea that is produced is the most vile smelling substance known to man.  I consider myself to have a stomach of steel and have (in my career) dealt with human corpses in all stages of decomposition and never even got close to getting sick.  The dog diarrea produced on the first few days of feeding a dog 100% RAW will gag me every time.  I only say this as a word of caution for those that plan on making the switch on a dog that comes in or sleeps in the house or mud room.  TRUST ME....you dont want to have to clean that mess!  After a couple days the stool turns solid and chalky and has very little smell.

2% of aldult weight is where I would start.
   I feed .75lb all the way to 2.5 lb to my dogs. A few take more then 2% to keep weight on them. I also feed a filler(rice). Organ meats,eggs,vegtables also are added a few times a month.

CANTEX & DEX,

I know we've spoke about this before, but I wanted to give an update on feeding the beef sternum (brisket) bones to my dogs.

Have made this food source about 50% if not more of my dogs diet.  If I can ever get my stuff together I will make it to where they get this mixed with chicken daily, but as of now I just alternate (randomly).

These sternum pieces are packed with what I'm thinking is marrow, but also have a layer or greasy gristle that is surrounded by red meat.  The gristle (I figure) is also packed with nutrients.  The dogs coats are shining and I couln't be happier with the way they look and are developing.  Hornet and Beetle are now 13 months old and their heads and jaws are really filling out.  They have to really crunch thee pieces and I cant help but think "weight work-out for the jaws" every time I feed them.  

I hve decided that beef sternum paired with chicken, with beef liver and fish as a monthly supplement is the way that  I am going for good.  VERY PLEASED with the visual results.

I'm also working with the County Extension Agent to get this mix analized by A&M to get protein, fat, and vitamin breakdown averages of 50% sternum bone and 50% chicken backs.  Will post results when I have them.

Good info, let me axe y'all this, do you thaw out meaty bones all the way or let them work through them?  With deer and hog ribs, necks lower legs and heads, I just freeze them for a few days and feed straight from the freezer,  

Do y'all see any problems feeding hard frozen red meat

And I give chickens and fish straight,  fins and feathers still on

Where do ya'll get all this raw meat? I know you can't buy it and feed it, it's too expensive.

I am pretty sure they are buying it.

You can buy chicken for less than 50 cents a pound, and most dog food kibble these days cost that much or more.

I many times feed frozen....It just takes longer for them to work thru it....I try to remember to set stuff out in the morning but it depends on what's going on that day.  In one of the feeding RAW books that I read it said that normal freezers cant freeze hard enough to hurt teeth and if they'll chew on it then it aint too hard/cold to hurt anything.  

I feed talipia whole but gutted and catfish skinned with poision fins removed.....its how I buy them cheap.....

I can get chicken cadges, necks, or backs for 33 cents a pound for 50 pound cases.

I get beef brisket bones for $7 a box from local butcher.  These boxes range from 20-40 pounds depending on what boxes he has available.

Feed cost me on average abot 75 cents per day per dog when figuring once a month fish and liver.

i've always heard that chicken bones are bad for a dog, is that true? cause you guys are feeding them whole chickens so i'm pretty confused

I'm DEFINITELY no expert but I believe cooked bones of any kind are bad

chicken bones are bad after they're COOKED only.  raw they're actually fairly pliable and don't splinter.

After reading this I did a bunch of reading and talked to my vet and as of yesterday my dogs are on an all raw diet. I started with some big beef ribs that were day old at the butcher shop and they annihilated them. Today they got chicken leg quarters and my adult Golden Retriever was not too sure but once he got a taste he tore it up, the other dogs were not in the least bit hesitant. Thanks for all of the advice and I am sure my dogs would thank you too.

Give it 8 weeks......you will notice a big difference in softness of coat, coat shine, doggie breath, and energy.....

No kibble and only RAW for 8 weeks and post what you see and think......The RAW challenge! ;D

I'm on it!

Black Gold, HOLY CRAP, literally. You were not lying about the most vile diarrhea but I believe you, and am sticking with it. My boys are loving it, they had calf liver and ribs today, and I can already see an improvement. 

Ok it has been 8 weeks and this diet is awesome. My dogs are all so much healthier and have tons more energy. They all look good, are not overweight anymore, and my Golden's skin allergy has disappeared! Thanks, this is the standard around my place from now on.

RLP,

That is great to hear!  I believe if most people would seriously do the 8 week challenge they would never go back to kibble......Glad you have made the change.