Protein variety

[Bulldogger]

We are planning to feed mainly chicken, maybe around 90%......is this bad? We are in the Chicago area and prices of any meats other than chicken is at least $2 a pound, usually more like $3-$4 a pound for red meat. I was planning on feeding a red meat maybe once or twice a week, fish maybe once a week. I am concerned they won't get what they need. Also, we have only been purchasing chicken quarters or bone in chicken breast. Is this too much bone to feed on a daily basis? We have some chicken livers they get every other day as well. I am sure there are co-ops in my area but I just don't want to be driving all over the place in order to get food. I want to be able to get it on my own close to where I live.

Thanks for the help, we are still learning.

[sassymaxmom]

If you get a freezer you can go to a wholesale place and buy a box of red meat for not so much money even in a big city. You can watch sale prices and stock up when there is a good deal on beef, pork or lamb at nearby markets. My local Mexican markets generally have great deals on huge pork shoulders and legs. Asian markets can have good stuff, wish I knew of one around here!

I haven't fed just chicken but others I know about have and the dog's condition wasn't as good as when a mix of about half red meat, half chicken for bone, some fish and a bit of variety of organ was fed. Your dog may look better than when on kibble but he/she won't be his/her best on mostly chicken.

Overdoing bone isn't a good idea. The excessive phosphorus and calcium can mess up other minerals' absorption. You will probably need to bone part of the chicken fed just to keep the stool from being too hard which isn't much fun.

[BrownieM]

From what I understand red meat is very important!

[DaneMama]

Feeding a lot of chicken isn't bad, but I would try and coordinate as much red meat as you can. Beef heart is our main source of red meat and is typically under $1 per pound at wholesale price. Here is a google search for wholesale meat suppliers in the Chicago area:

chicago wholesale meat suppliers - Google Search

I would give them all a call and ask if they carry chicken quarters/backs/whole birds, turkey necks/wings/whole birds, pork riblets/ribs/neck bones/offal, fish of any kind, beef hearts/ribs/offal, lamb of any kind, rabbit, etc.

[naturalfeddogs]

We have fed a lot of chicken in the past, close to 90% because of finanacial issues, but I make sure to get a little moe liver than normal as well and ours were doing fine. However, they are now getting lots of deer meat and pork is on the menu also.

[whiteleo]

I don't quite understand! People go through the trouble of researching the right diet for their dogs and learning how to feed it but they aren't willing to drive just a little bit for the meat they might need for it?

If you join a co-op, which is no cost to you, you'll find great places to get meat. Right now our co-op is offering antibiotic/hormone free beef, not hamburger, human grade for $1.00 lb.

I'm not sure how many wolves only ate chicken in the wild. The PMR diet is a wonderful diet but it is meant to be fed to dogs in as wide variety of meat as possible, sure it can be done with just chicken but how would you feel only eating chicken?

I really wish you would reconsider looking into the co-ops or other ways to buy meat, it is for the health of your dogs! Good Luck!

[spookychick13]

I agree, co-op is the way to go!

I have gotten a lot of 'odd' meats from my co-op, from elk to venison.

A good, easy meat to handle is lamb hearts, and they were pretty darn cheap.
Like Danemomma said, beef hearts are great/cheap too...as are turkey necks, etc.

[SonjaWi]

I am in the same position. Newport News is not a really good area for meat. Lamb is at about 7 dollars a pound, and that is marked down. I try to buy last minute meat, that is marked down. There is no real coop here...I joined the Yahoo group, but its mainly sellers advertising their raw food mixes, that are totally overpriced. I am thinking about joining Costco, maybe their meat prices are a bit more reasonable.

[luvMyBRT]

My co op is over 3 1/2 hours away from me. Even with the transportation chain I still end up driving over an hour to get my meat. To me...totally worth it. I get a huge amount at one time, stock up my freezer and I'm good to go for quite a while.

I would kill to have my co op be in the same town/city as me!

I would for sure look into it! Those that have this luxury don't know how lucky they are!

[Northwoods10]

We have to drive 2 hours to our co-op but we stock up too. So worth it.