# new and panicing :)



## diamond8 (Apr 29, 2012)

hi all 
i am new to raw feeding 
im realy concerened about the cost of feeding red meat i have 8 dogs needing 4860gramms or basicly 5kg of meat daily.im starting to panic a little, one of my dogs that i started with first the shepherd is due to move on to red meats so yesterday i went to the supermarket and bought her a 650g sirlion steak at a cost of €6 as it was on special offer and i also bought beef mince at €2.95 for 800g.she ate a mackrel to day with no issues so at least she likes that and its cheapish.
is beef mince ok or does it have to be like diced stewing beef?
this problem kept me awake last nite worrying that i will have to change my dogs back to crappy kibble which i realy dont want to and i am finding it a little overwhelming .i under stand there will be costs involved but i was kind of shocked at the price of red meat.i am in discussion with my butcher for beef hearts, tripe ect he gives me so much for free its waste to him he gives me chicken carcases and the amount of chicken left on them is a waste.so ive ordered my self a 1800watt meat mincer for the smaller dogs not that they wont eat the bone if given, its just to make meal times a little easyier and quicker .the plan for long term feeding is as followes let me know what you think
(there will be variations for time to time but ingeneral this is how its looking)

Day 1- chicken meat & and a carcas /beef mince/liver-omega3 capsule
Day 2- beef / egg /chicken carcas/ organ
Day 3- chicken /fish/ liver- omega 3 capsule
Day 4-beef / lambs neck/ egg/ chicken carcas/ omega3 capsule
Day 5-chicken meat & and a carcas /beef mince/liver-omega3 capsule 
Day 6-beef / egg /chicken carcas/ organ
they also get a huge beef knuckel bone of a sunday for 2 hours only as a treat and dried pigs ears during the week aswell 
Day 7- pork/ liver/ chicken carcas-omega 3 capsule
thanks in advance 
Helen


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

Helen, I highly recommend this site for guidance Dedicated to proper carnivore nutrition - Prey Model Raw Feeding for Dogs & Cats....this Facebook group in assistance with protein sources and other valuable info https://www.facebook.com/#!/groups/261761471359/.

Also, seems you are feeding a lot of chicken...would only feed every other day at most if possible. Knuckle bones are a big no no...you do not want to give weight bearing bones even as treats...consider beef and pork ribs instead.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Yikes - you don't have to feed sirloin steak. That's way too expensive. I don't quite know what beef mince is but I suspect it's what we would call ground beef over here maybe. I know eight dogs is alot to feed! 

I give my dogs alot of beef and pork hearts as red meat. Beef heart is actually more nutritious than other cuts of beef and is alot cheaper. 

It's best to give as little ground up stuff as you can. I wonder if anyone else from Ireland is around here who could help with sourcing your meat. It does seem you have a butcher who could help with scraps and such. 

Don't forget your small dogs need bones probably more than the big dogs because their mouths are small and get rotten teeth easier than larger dogs. If you do give them ground, make sure they get bones to clean their teeth also.

Can you get beef ribs at a reasonable cost? Those are good teeth cleaners and little dogs don't eat the bone. Pork ribs are good too.

Can you get turkey necks? Those are great for teeth. If your butcher can get you hogshead or lambshead cheap those are good for teeth, meat, AND bone.

if you can get any kind of meat scraps from your butcher from pretty much any animal you are doing good. You don't have to feed red meat all the time and I know if I had to feed my dogs sirloin steak I couldn't afford it - and I only have two dogs, not eight.

Welcome to the forum, by the way  - we'd love to hear about your dogs and see photos


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

I find being in the UK the only way to feed raw is get a supplier and buy in bulk, and find a good butcher that will save you bones, off cuts etc


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## diamond8 (Apr 29, 2012)

thanks for your replys.
i dident realise when i started feeding raw that i could not feed so little chicken this is a huge problem i planned on feeding it 3 days a week if i were to feed red meat daily it would cost me €30 if not more a day i feel so stupid ive bought freezers, mincers all set up for this and now it looks like il have to go back to kibble and the free stuff from the butchers


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

diamond8 said:


> thanks for your replys.
> i dident realise when i started feeding raw that i could not feed so little chicken this is a huge problem i planned on feeding it 3 days a week if i were to feed red meat daily it would cost me €30 if not more a day i feel so stupid ive bought freezers, mincers all set up for this and now it looks like il have to go back to kibble and the free stuff from the butchers


Personally, I think your chicken amount is ok. There are many of us who can't afford alot of other meats. As long as you get a little variety and some organs you will be fine. My theory is chicken is better than kibble 

I feed chicken alot. I also try to get some other stuff in there, and I wouldn't say it's the majority of what I feed, but as finances dwindle my dogs will probably be getting alot more chicken - I'm never, ever going back to kibble.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

No, don't give up...seriously there are a lot of people from all over the world even Ireland that are very active on the link I posted above for the Facebook group. Also, they have a yahoo group forum too. There's an abundance of info and resources on there along with this forum.

Chicken is fine to feed three times a week...I feed at least that much a week myself. The proteins due to my dogs allergies and what I can source are chicken, turkey, quail, beef, lamb, goat and just a little veal.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

I have been feeding more chicken than you are actually, because of finance issues, but I also am sure to add liver, beef liver in particular. This week I am picking up some free beef ribs from a lady on Craigslist. 

You don't have to feed sirloin, I can't even afford to eat that myself! Just as much variety as you can afford, and really if chicken is your main base, be sure to add at least liver weekly and you are still way better than kibble.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

naturalfeddogs said:


> You don't have to feed sirloin, I can't even afford to eat that myself! Just as much variety as you can afford, and really if chicken is your main base, be sure to add at least liver weekly and you are still way better than kibble.


Exactly what I was thinking. I am ordering dog meat from a local butcher and I can't afford to get the humans their meat. I buy pork steaks on sale now and then, and that's a splurge.


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## diamond8 (Apr 29, 2012)

the thought of feeding kibble again makes me want to cry.
the sirlion i bought that day was on special offer it was the same price as beef chunks. the dog thought all her birthdays had come in one .
when you all buy these slabs of frozen meat / scraps ect where are you getting them from ?
i am still in the looking and finding stage i will get there and the dogs here just love the meat ect big time, first time ever all bowls were licked clean last night


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

diamond8 said:


> the thought of feeding kibble again makes me want to cry.
> the sirlion i bought that day was on special offer it was the same price as beef chunks. the dog thought all her birthdays had come in one .
> when you all buy these slabs of frozen meat / scraps ect where are you getting them from ?
> i am still in the looking and finding stage i will get there and the dogs here just love the meat ect big time, first time ever all bowls were licked clean last night


I think it's different here in the US. Pogo says you need to find a supplier but I'm not sure about doing that in Ireland, and find a good butcher but it sounds like you have a butcher who will give/sell you scraps?

For instance, I found out last week my butcher can order uterus. I couldn't get that anywhere else. So maybe your butcher can get you some of that meat, cheap.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

sending you a PM


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

diamond8 said:


> thanks for your replys.
> i dident realise when i started feeding raw that i could not feed so little chicken this is a huge problem i planned on feeding it 3 days a week if i were to feed red meat daily it would cost me €30 if not more a day i feel so stupid ive bought freezers, mincers all set up for this and now it looks like il have to go back to kibble and the free stuff from the butchers


that amount of chicken is fine, you don't need mincers though. Stick with raw even that amount of chicken is better then kibble!


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

I'll see if i can find a supplier that delivers to ireland where abouts are you?


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## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

some suppliers that may be good:

Shipping & Delivery

Food For Pets BARF Diet Products, Natural Dog & Cat Food

Slaney Pet Foods 
Tel: 08721 18453 
E-mail: [email protected]

Delivery Prices - don't no if they still deliver to ireland

best to contact them direct to see if they are any good


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## diamond8 (Apr 29, 2012)

ok so ive been on the phone all afternoon AND i have found my self an abattoir/slaughter/ butchers house only 40 min drive from me (there hard to find here now a day)and he gave me a run down of prices eg :beef heart €3.50 for 7lbs aprox in weight... tongue€8 ... aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh im so happy.anyway can any body list the cheap parts of the cow i should be asking for thanks in advance 
helen


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Oh dear, I feed chicken at least three times per week and have for over two years. All my dogs are doing excellent. We feed turkey, pork and beef heart as often as possible, lamb lung and any other scrap. You might ask the butcher who gives you chicken bones if you could get the beef trim or scrap - it would be the hardened meat that is trimmed after the beef has set for the week or ten days. Lung is great and any other parts they are discarding. We feed a lot of lamb lung as I get it free.


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

that is really a good price on heart for 7lbs at least compared to the prices where I live...sounds like you had a good day


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## wolfsnaps88 (Jan 2, 2012)

If your finances or sources make it so you have to feed a lot of chicken, I say do that. I feed a lot of chicken here. Most of the bone portion of my dogs' meals come from chicken bones. Chicken is cheaper. As long as it is a balanced chicken diet (with the correct ration of muscle, organ and bone) I think it is still better than feeding kibble in my humble opinion. If you don't want to feed kibble, then don't. 

I do feed a lot of chicken but I also feed a lot of beef heart. I do not get the best prices but in my circumstance, it is what I can get. I also hunt so I donate most of my kill to them. I also have called and emailed butchers, farms and slaughter houses. I got lucky and found a place that will sell me some animal parts for cheap. 

Some of us here get great deals and some of us don't. You have to figure out what is going to work for you. Tell everyone you know that you need meat. Sometimes word of mouth will get you contact information (An example: My cousin's girlfriend knows a butcher who will give you free stuff.) So get the word out. 

I don't know how it works where you live but here in Pennsylvania, I go to deer processors around hunting season and they let me take deer heads, rib cages, etc (stuff people don't eat) for free! So it is a very good thing to have a freezer!

Good luck, don't give up!


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

we have to sleep at night and finances are always a balancing act.

if you have to feed chicken three times a week, and spread red meat out and save your money on knuckle bone...bad for the teeth, then do it.

whatever you can manage will be better for the dogs than any other diet.....

well done you for feeding 8 dogs a raw diet.


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## Chocx2 (Nov 16, 2009)

I feed some form of chicken each day, I mix it with other stuff though, maybe a sardine, some beef cheek meat, tripe, heart meat, lamb,turkey, egg something like that. I find that I can get lamb heart, beef heart, and pork heart, which is cheap. Chicken is cheap for me also so I use it as my main meat and mix. And I add in some organ meat, what ever I have thawed.

My devils seem to do fine, but I kinda free lance it. lol


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## diamond8 (Apr 29, 2012)

i would just like to say thank you to you all for your replys esp "frogdog" for all the advice. i was panicing yesterday about sourcing red meat, now i have found beef heart, tongue and my brother informs me this evening that he can get me deer in the shooting season as he has a licence to shoot here so and ive been intouch with a few hunters and there going to supply me with any excess pheasant and rabbit during the season so yea! the dogs are doing so well on raw amethyst my spaniel had her first i kid you not firm poo this morn, she will be 2 next month. i will post pics soon . thanks again .helen


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## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

Glad to hear all is going well and you found some sources 
Can't wait to see pics of your pups!
Welcome to DFC!


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## frogdog (Aug 10, 2011)

You're more than welcome...my pleasure to help. We're a community here and will do our best to answer questions.


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