Adding in other meat sources for boneless?

[Makovach]

I've been calling and asking around about meats. I found a place that I can get kidney and spleen for almost nothing. The guy said the owner wont let him give it away, but since it goes in the trash anyways, he would sell it for to me for about $0.25 per lb! Liver is a bit more expensive, but he said if they have one no one wants with their order, and I take it untrimmed (which I told him every thing I get I want exactly how it came out of the body) It would be probably $0.75 per lb.

I asked him about beef and pork heart. He said usually people dont want it, but he can't quote me that he will always have it on hand. It is $2.00 per lb trimmed and packaged. I told him pulled out of the cow, fat cap, tubes, veins included, shoved in a walmart bag would work perfect for me because I dont want anything cut off of it, The price changed to $2.00 each.

I asked him about Chicken quarters and Turkey necks, He said he doesn't have it in much. But I found another guy about 10 minutes away I can get free range unenhanced 1/4s for $0.79 per lb.

I met a guy who came into the pet store who raises chickens and turkeys. He sells whole broiler chickens for $10 each. Turkeys for $20 each. Chicken and Turkey feet for $$1.50 per lb. But his birds wont be ready for 6 weeks. He also told me about his friend who raises meat rabbits. He will sell them $10 each, skinned and gutted (he told me I could tell him what I want him to leave in it for no extra charge) for 12-18lbs (pre butcher weight).

My question is, it seems that most of my problem with stool is constipation and too much bone. Re told me I should add some boneless meat, and I think she means chicken. But I cant afford to buy chicken breast, and whole chickens I've only found at walmart, are enhanced. I was wondering if I could start to add some beef or pork heart, little by little and slowly up the amounts as the dogs get used to it more. Maybe start with about 3oz, then up it to 5 and work from there?

Or is this a bad idea since they have only been on raw for two weeks? Is there a chance that diarrhea is happening as the after math of constipation?

Annie is constipated. She hasnt pooped all day. I don't believe she pooped yesterday either and my BF said he doesnt remember. I gave her a little extra fat with her meal tonight. She tried to poop tonight with nothing. No blood, No drips, nothing at all.

[shellbell]

I think I would wait before adding heart meat or beef. I can so relate to this though, b/c Tux was having super dry and sandy poops about two weeks in. Honestly, I bit the bullet and splurged on some boneless chicken. It isn't like I had to buy it regularly, it was a temporary thing while he was transitioning. Now I never have to buy it, as he gets to eat heart and lung and deer and all that cheaper (free) boneless stuff. But some meals of boneless chicken early on when I was only feeding chicken quarters and turkey necks, helped a lot. You should also be able to add in some boneless pork in the next week or two I would think, and that seems to be on sale here all the time for about $1.29/lb, pork butt.

[Makovach]

I think I would wait before adding heart meat or beef. I can so relate to this though, b/c Tux was having super dry and sandy poops about two weeks in. Honestly, I bit the bullet and splurged on some boneless chicken. It isn't like I had to buy it regularly, it was a temporary thing while he was transitioning. Now I never have to buy it, as he gets to eat heart and lung and deer and all that cheaper (free) boneless stuff. But some meals of boneless chicken early on when I was only feeding chicken quarters and turkey necks, helped a lot. You should also be able to add in some boneless pork in the next week or two I would think, and that seems to be on sale here all the time for about $1.29/lb, pork butt.

Thanks. Yeah, I guess I'll hold off. I can go to meijer and see what deals they have on bone in chicken breast and maybe just feed that only for a bit since its much closer to the 80% meat 20% bone ratio. Of should I just buy boneless? It only reason I want bone in breast is I could stop the quarters for temporary, or only feed them every other day or once a day. I would get more meat than the trimmed breast and they are by far cheaper than boneless.

[magicre]

are all the chickens at walmart the same brand? and enhanced?

because i know foster farms is not enhanced.....and whole chickens at this point would be your best bet.

our grocery stores have wars...especially now with bbq season starting to start.....so they have cut up chickens....the whole chicken just in pieces and they sell them cheaper than the usual thievery.

i don't know what stores you have, but is there a co op you could join so the group buys in bulk?

they've only been on raw now for two weeks and you've got some issues...with possibly too much bone....you can still buy the quarters...i saw in the pics they are very nicely plump....and just take the meat off the bone for part of a meal....that way your ratio of bone to boneless changes...

[Liz]

I can get something called chicken trim and it is about .99 per pound. It is fatty but has a bunch of meat also. It is the meat and fat trimmed when the butcher trims for chicken breasts and boneless cuts - maybe you could find some of that. The other stuff looks really good and prices are not bad.

[Makovach]

are all the chickens at walmart the same brand? and enhanced?
.you can still buy the quarters...i saw in the pics they are very nicely plump....and just take the meat off the bone for part of a meal....that way your ratio of bone to boneless changes...

Our walmart only has tyson brand. Usually they have perdue brand, which is not enhacned, But I've not been finding it. Their Tyson whole chickens and cut up whole chickens are both enhanced. I'm still new to the area and don't know of many stores yet. I basicly only know how to get to work. I'll have to look into other places.

I can't buy bulk because I have no freezer, and I can't find any co-ops around her that are helpful. The yahoo groups didnt do squat for me. I found nothing.

I will try takeing out the leg and thigh bones. I dont know that I would be able to get out the back with out a bunch of the meat?
They are very plump, very large chicken quarters. They weigh just over 1lb each.

[Makovach]

I can get something called chicken trim and it is about .99 per pound. It is fatty but has a bunch of meat also. It is the meat and fat trimmed when the butcher trims for chicken breasts and boneless cuts - maybe you could find some of that. The other stuff looks really good and prices are not bad.

Thanks for the tip, i will ask around!

[shellbell]

I would look around and see what the local grocery chain stores are. I have an IGA, and they usually have value packs of all sorts of things, including bonelss chicken breast (unenhanced) for $1.29/lb.

[chowder]

Could you try just feeding the quarters whole? What are you feeding now that is so bony? The quarters that we get here are really meaty and when I feed them whole there is a lot of meat to bone ration on them. My boys started on just these quarters and didn't have a problem with constipation issues.

[frogdog]

Our 2nd or 3rd week feeding raw...Yogi had major powder puffs...no constipation but complete dust. I just cut the chicken away from the bone and fed him that every other meal. When I added beef and organs never had a problem again.

Our Wal-Mart is the same...only carries Tyson but hate Wal-Mart anyway...also, their prices are so much higher than other stores.

I buy all my proteins from Food Lion and BI-LO which I believe are southern chains.