# How much chicken/white meat do you feed?



## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

*How much chicken do you feed?*

If you could give an estimate, how much of your dogs diet is made up of chicken?

I know some people feed 50% chicken, some people feed more, some less, and some people feed none at all!
So I'm genuinely curious. How much chicken do you feed your dogs? 
Some of us are currently struggling financially, but thanks to the low prices on chicken we're able to continue to feed raw and give our dogs the best we can possibly afford on a tight budget. 

A large variety is ideal, but the key is to have variety over time. There's no need to panic if you cant give 10 different proteins - just focus on feeding what you can, when you can.

I'd say I feed about 60% chicken right now, the other 40% being various red meats that I can find on sale. My dog is healthy and happy. I supplement her meals with salmon oil and buy her red meats whenever I'm able to. 
How about you? :smile:


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

For mine it is about 30-40% chicken. They get mostly venison, beef heart, chicken liver, beef kidney, eggs, pork, duck and salmon oil as well. Mostly Venison and beef heart because I have gotten it for free or very cheap.


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

I feed zero percent white meat. I just don't think it has the best stuff in it, and quarters are usually cheaper than breast meat anyway. Plus, they have bones.

I do feed a certain percent of chicken but it varies - I'm really not sure.

I know 100% though if money gets tighter i will feed them chicken every day before going back to dry, as long as I could get some organs. And I plan on trying craigslist also for free and very cheap stuff.


----------



## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

xellil said:


> I know 100% though if money gets tighter i will feed them chicken every day before going back to dry, as long as I could get some organs. And I plan on trying craigslist also for free and very cheap stuff.


I agree - I'd rather feed all chicken with a variety of organs than switch to kibble anyday.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

xellil said:


> I feed zero percent white meat. I just don't think it has the best stuff in it, and quarters are usually cheaper than breast meat anyway. Plus, they have bones.
> 
> I do feed a certain percent of chicken but it varies - I'm really not sure.
> 
> I know 100% though if money gets tighter i will feed them chicken every day before going back to dry, as long as I could get some organs. And I plan on trying craigslist also for free and very cheap stuff.


Have you tried any of the co-ops in Texas, there are a few from the looks of it..


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I guess I don't feed any white meat either because I only buy quarters or necks. I did get 4 whole chickens for REALLY cheap from work so I guess that would be their only white meat right now.


----------



## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

Oh my bad, by white meat I mean any part of a chicken - hah! I forgot that chicken leg quarters are considered 'dark meat', but its still not red meat. :wink:


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

whiteleo said:


> Have you tried any of the co-ops in Texas, there are a few from the looks of it..


I am looking for one! i joined the DFW area BARF thing and they talk about alot of stuff but not much about raw feeding. Maybe i'm just dense and can't find it. Texas Tripe actually has cheaper meat than My Pet Carnivore but not as much variety. 

i mean, there HAS to be a co-op around here somewhere!


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Where is Sanger exactly? Close to which big city?


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

I only use the chicken for bone any way so I didn't think its a big deal to be feeding so much. Haven't fed them turkey since I bought 2 around thanksgiving. They were a hassle and a half to process and the bones were so big!


----------



## Makovach (Jan 24, 2012)

I plan to feed quite a bit of chicken. Probably about 50% or so. Chicken backs and Turkey necks are going to be my main sources of bone. I will also feed chicken quarters and whole cut up turkeys time to time. Guessing by saying "white meat" you mean lean meats, not red meats, I will feed (between chicken and turkey) probably about 60-70% on a weekly basis. Pork/Beef heart will probably be the main source of red meats (because they are cheap) until we are moved and I have a job too. 

Maybe a little less considering I didnt even think about eggs and fish being added in. and I will be feeding 10% organ when I get to that time.


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

whiteleo said:


> Where is Sanger exactly? Close to which big city?


It's about 40 miles north of Dallas and Ft. Worth, either one.


----------



## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

We are probably feeding 40% chicken right now because of getting good source for beef from our co-op. We feed a chicken back almost daily for the collies because they tend to need bone every day but the rest of their meal is pork hearts, turkey hearts, lamb lung, venison heart, beef, sardines. Sometimes we have fed up to 70% chicken and the dogs have done well. We do the best we can with the finances we have. The dogs have still done way better even when primarily on chicken. If I had to feed all chicken I definately would before going back to kibble.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

xellil said:


> It's about 40 miles north of Dallas and Ft. Worth, either one.


So that group doesn't discuss where to buy food? I know the Houston one does, How far is that? I could look at a map, but I'm trying to pack but am procrastinating!


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

xellil said:


> It's about 40 miles north of Dallas and Ft. Worth, either one.



That is about as far as I will be driving to get meat from a co-op. You are close to Oklahoma. Have you tried there?


----------



## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

Mine get chicken quarters every morning. That's because I can get them for $.47 a pound and Rocky does really well on them (he has such a sensitive tummy). But, last week they had whole chickens for $.77 a pound so I picked up 8 of them and they are in the freezer. So eventually they will get those whole chickens and get some white meat. I'll probably chop them up so that the breast it attached to a back or a wing as a meal with the innards. Does that count as a white meat meal? 

I don't really keep track that much. They get chicken every morning and some other meat at night (beef, fish, pork, turkey). Organs are tossed in here and there during the week. It more then I do for myself, at least they don't get poptarts and Baileys on Friday nights!


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> That is about as far as I will be driving to get meat from a co-op. You are close to Oklahoma. Have you tried there?


No, I think the closest big city up there is Oklahoma City, about 2 1/2 hours away. I wouldn't mind driving that far but only when I get a job. but I'll check up there and see.

i drive to Ft. Worth a couple of times a week to see my relatives. I could easily pick up meat from anywhere around there. i just can't find one.


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Sprocket said:


> That is about as far as I will be driving to get meat from a co-op. You are close to Oklahoma. Have you tried there?


Really? I would drive 100's of miles for my furkids..My husband makes special trips for me all the time..Just last week he drove from Bellingham to Tacoma to drop off a case of chicken necks and some greentripe I donated to the Foster Mom who took in the B.T from the Tacoma shelter, that's dedication!


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

xellil said:


> No, I think the closest big city up there is Oklahoma City, about 2 1/2 hours away. I wouldn't mind driving that far but only when I get a job. but I'll check up there and see.
> 
> i drive to Ft. Worth a couple of times a week to see my relatives. I could easily pick up meat from anywhere around there. i just can't find one.


Meat Wholesalers - Fort Worth, Texas Company Directory from Hoovers.com


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Meat Wholesalers - Fort Worth, Texas Company Directory from Hoovers.com


Thanks very much - I'll check into these. Maybe my problem was I was looking for something with the word co-op in it.


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

DogAware.com: Raw Dog Food Co-ops and Local Groups

I am still looking. I have a few minutes before I have to leave for work


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

hehehe 

Dallas and Fort Worth (DFW) Holistic Veterinarians


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

North Texas Traditional Living - Farms

I would want to make friends with these people


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> DogAware.com: Raw Dog Food Co-ops and Local Groups
> 
> I am still looking. I have a few minutes before I have to leave for work


Thanks - the DFW Barf one is the one I joined - if worse comes to worse I think we could get a lot more freezer space and drive down to San Antonio every few months, but I don't think it's a trip I could make monthly like I am buying now. i do have a niece down there, it would be a good reason to visit.


----------



## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

While we're off topic here, someone just responded to my craigslist ad with 13lbs of fish! I'm leaving in an hour! LOL! eace:


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

liquid said:


> While we're off topic here, someone just responded to my craigslist ad with 13lbs of fish! I'm leaving in an hour! LOL! eace:


Cool! Fish is expensive


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

Speaking of FISH. Drew goes bow fishing up in lake county and I have been thinking about going up there for the tournaments and snagging all the fish they throw away. THey don't eat the carp that they shoot, they literally throw them all in a dumpster. It would be a good amount of fish to feed.


----------



## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

Sprocket said:


> Speaking of FISH. Drew goes bow fishing up in lake county and I have been thinking about going up there for the tournaments and snagging all the fish they throw away. THey don't eat the carp that they shoot, they literally throw them all in a dumpster. It would be a good amount of fish to feed.


I love the creative ways we come up with to get free meat for the dogs :lol:


----------



## Sprocket (Oct 4, 2011)

liquid said:


> I love the creative ways we come up with to get free meat for the dogs :lol:


Someone has to do it!

We did save the entire carcass from the 47 inch sturgeon I caught


----------



## pogo (Aug 28, 2011)

Overall i would say about 10% of their diet is chicken/turkey


----------



## hmbutler (Aug 4, 2011)

Duke gets a lot of chicken, but its mostly chicken frames. And at $1/kg (roughly 45c/lb) it's very economical! He tends to get the runs from boneless meat, even the stuff he is well adjusted to. I've found he needs a lot of bones in his diet. So his meal usually consists of a chicken frame (about 300-400 grams) and another 450-550 grams of different boneless meat (red meat). But if he has a turkey leg or turkey neck, they replace the chicken frame.


----------



## twoisplenty (Nov 12, 2008)

I just picked up my monthly order and this is what I got:

30lbs of Lamb

15lbs of Salmon

15lbs of Herring

30lbs of Beef Chunks

20lbs of whole Rabbit

20lbs of Turkey Necks

20lbs of whole Chicken

10lbs of Liver

15lbs of Kidney

So 25% of our dogs diet is poultry but it can change month to month.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

my dogs do not eat chicken. 

we did manage to find non frankenstein chicken and i'm pretty sure i've found soy free eggs....so chicken may be on their menu once in a while...


----------



## GoingPostal (Sep 5, 2011)

Probably 20-25%? What all counts as "white"? Chicken and turkey? Where does rabbit fall? On a weekly basis I try to feed one day each of beef, pork, rabbit & turkey and then a meal of fish, one of organs and the rest ends up being chicken, rarely some duck and venison too. I feed turkey necks one meal a week, usually a chicken thigh, leg and another random bone in part, I buy whole chickens when they are on sale.


----------



## liquid (Dec 28, 2011)

GoingPostal said:


> Probably 20-25%? What all counts as "white"? Chicken and turkey? Where does rabbit fall?


I would say that all poultry is white. Rabbit would be a very lean red meat.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

GoingPostal said:


> Probably 20-25%? What all counts as "white"? Chicken and turkey? Where does rabbit fall? On a weekly basis I try to feed one day each of beef, pork, rabbit & turkey and then a meal of fish, one of organs and the rest ends up being chicken, rarely some duck and venison too. I feed turkey necks one meal a week, usually a chicken thigh, leg and another random bone in part, I buy whole chickens when they are on sale.


there is white meat chicken and white meat turkey...and there is dark meat chicken and turkey, but it falls under white fowl.

rabbit is red meat, pork is red meat....venison is red meat...red meat is red meat LOL


----------



## kathylcsw (Jul 31, 2011)

Mine get between 30% and 40% chicken and turkey - including white and dark meat. I have been lucky enough to get a good amount of free dear meat so that is almost 1/3 of what they are eating right now. They both get pork and beef with one fish meal per week. Lola gets 1 egg a week but I haven't given Buster eggs yet.


----------



## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

Not much, maybe some poultry once a month as a treat.


----------



## AveryandAudrey (Sep 20, 2010)

Very little, maybe 15-20 percent. And its turkey not chicken. Chicken is super rare around my house


----------



## funshine (Jan 21, 2010)

Sorry this is off topic.

xellil,
I guess for the time being you could try Harvest Meat in Dallas.
I think Natalie said that the Denver one had a raw feeders' account; all you need is to call and mention that.
Texas seems to suck what comes to co-ops. That Austin co-op seems great, but I can't make the drive on a week night from Houston. And as everybody knows, meat thaws here fast outside.
Houston feeders yahoo group talks about grocery stores and mention Action Meat. Not sure why there's no interest in more exotic meats here.


----------



## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

funshine said:


> Sorry this is off topic.
> 
> xellil,
> I guess for the time being you could try Harvest Meat in Dallas.
> ...


thanks - I'll check them out. Frankly, I'm pretty surprised there's no good co-op up here. I mean, it's DALLAS for Pete's sake. makes me wish I lived closer to Austin.


----------

