# Can we start on chicken quarters and not backs?



## Eswmom (Jul 24, 2011)

Here we are finally ready to begin our adventure to raw and we cannot find chicken backs?! Is this typically an accessible food? I shop only at a kosher butcher so this is new to us going to stores for meats etc. My husband went to three butchers and they did not have backs, they get meat from distributor already apart. Can matzah begin on quarters? Can we start lulu on chicken wings? matzah is 14 months and 90 pounds. A Bernese mountain dog. Lulu is 11 weeks, 5 lbs and only 11 weeks old, a coton de tulear. 
I suppose we can wait another week and go to eastern market in Detroit for the chicken backs but we fasted him and were ready or so we thought, lol.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance! 
Elana, Mark and the kids


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

I started all 3 of my boys on leg quarters as they where on a HUGE sale about the time that we started raw!:smile: I dont see a problem with them as long as you remove the skin/fat as needed per dog!:smile:


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## Eswmom (Jul 24, 2011)

Speed racer fast wow thanks....the puppy is too small though for quarters, no?


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Eswmom said:


> Speed racer fast wow thanks....the puppy is too small though for quarters, no?


HEHE...I must have clicked into it JUST as you posted!LOL

And I would see how LuLu takes to them...I mean obliviously its going to be too much for her to eat...but she might surprise you with how strong her crunch is!:wink: (I know my 5-7lbs, 11 month old kitten can crunch thru a smaller chicken leg like its nothing at all!)


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## chowder (Sep 7, 2008)

I started my big guys on quarters without a problem. I did remove all the extra fat and skin from them at first. 

The puppy could probably be started on wings. That's what I tried with Chelsy (before I found out she couldn't chew them with her jaw problem). Hopefully someone else with a little dog will chime in, but I think that tiny dogs do okay with wings and drummies to start with. Remove the skin at first, just like with the big dogs.


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

i started on quarters and didn't even remove the skin or the fat. There weren't any digestive problems.


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## minnieme (Jul 6, 2011)

Tbh, I kinda prefer quarters.....I can't remember who was saying it, but they mentioned how backs can be a hassle if you need to trim them. I agree with this point...skin/fat generally comes off quarters no problem, but you gotta work for it more with backs I find. I think both are fantastic in firming up poos though...and I like backs more for my dane because it seems more complex..and like she gets a better "mental workout" out of it. 

I think they're pretty interchangeable though....if you need to make 'em bonier...just remove some of the muscle meat.


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## doggiedad (Jan 23, 2011)

why do you have to remove the skin and fat from the
chicken for raw fed dogs??



Scarlett_O' said:


> I started all 3 of my boys on leg quarters as they where on a HUGE sale about the time that we started raw!:smile: I dont see a problem with them as long as you remove the skin/fat as needed per dog!:smile:


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## trikerdon (May 14, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> why do you have to remove the skin and fat from the
> chicken for raw fed dogs??


I thought the skin and fat was good for them, at least I read that in a past post someplace or is it that you do that for new raw fed dogs?


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## Eswmom (Jul 24, 2011)

Advice is much appreciated. I believe skin and fat is removed initially as we transition over from kibble. .


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## xellil (Apr 4, 2011)

i think some folks think it causes diarrhea when you first switch. it didn't for me, I've never peeled any skin off of anything. I also started organ meat on the second day for one dog with a huge constipation problem. You do what you think is best - if you want to peel, then do so. if you want to try it with the skin and fat, like I did, you can do that too and see what happens.

Since I am lazy, I am always going to try the easy way first.

Edited to add: When I started feeding raw in April, no one gave me advice to peel off the skin that I can remember.


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## naturalfeddogs (Jan 6, 2011)

yep,I started mine all on quarters, with skin removed. Alot of people here start on backs for the bone content, to keep the poops under control during the transition to raw, but mine all did fine on quarters. If you start on quarters and it is alittle too much at the start and you get digestion problems you can always switch to backs. I just like the more meat that is on the quarters.


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## Liz (Sep 27, 2010)

Your little one can't finfinsh a quarter. My pups would get all the meat eaten but not be hungry for the bone they needed. I start you ng pups (5 - 7 lbs) on thighs or legs and take a little meat off so they are still hungry when they get to bone. Thighs are easier to do this with - I just cut al ittle off each side and feed to the young ones andd give the extra meat to the big dogs. Hope that helps. If you have had tummy issues with your guys I would take the skin off for a little while.


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

doggiedad said:


> why do you have to remove the skin and fat from the
> chicken for raw fed dogs??





trikerdon said:


> I thought the skin and fat was good for them, at least I read that in a past post someplace or is it that you do that for new raw fed dogs?


The skin/fat is VERY good for them...but also VERY rich...so for those of us who arent sure and/or have dogs with sensitive stomachs we remove it as needed and then slowly stop!:wink:


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## Jynical (Jun 22, 2011)

Roscoe started on quarters too, because they were on sale. Which reminds me... I need to order more food. lol


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## Scarlett_O' (May 19, 2011)

Jynical said:


> Roscoe started on quarters too, because they were on sale. Which reminds me... I need to order more food. lol


HEHE...I just got like 70# today!:biggrin: I wont need any for a while....or that is until Liz goes to the supplier again!!LOL :laugh:


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## Sapphire-Light (Aug 8, 2010)

Sure thing! I stared wit chicken nuggets for my toy poodle :happy:, chicken bags are almost the same size as he is. :shocked:


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## Caty M (Aug 13, 2010)

I didn't have to remove anything for my iron stomach sheltie, but for my IG Tess transitioning to raw was a hassle. Everything had to be weighed and skinned as even a slight over feeding would cause cannon butt.


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## VaderAider (Jul 31, 2011)

Op, I started my dog on quarters, but you will notice they need the backs for the bone content to get good stools. First week on quarters, then backs every other day, along with the quarters, my pit is a pig!


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## 3Musketeers (Nov 4, 2010)

You can also cut some of the meat off of the quarters so that there is higher percentage of bone, that way you don't need to feed backs. 
And if you eat chicken yourself you can make some chicken fingers out of that meat cut off LOL.


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## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

trikerdon said:


> I thought the skin and fat was good for them, at least I read that in a past post someplace or is it that you do that for new raw fed dogs?


fat and skin is good for a dog who takes to raw easily. if not, removing the fat and skin, temporarily, helps the dog get used to the transition...some go smoothly and some need a little help.

my dogs started out on quarters, but needed backs with skin and fat removed. they both had a rough transition, but they are smaller dogs and i overfed...which starts a cycle that needs to be stopped.

so it doesn't matter what you start with.

what matters is this.

if the poo turns to liquid then back up and add bonier pieces of chicken.

if the poo is consistenly solid, then you're on the right track.


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## Tobi (Mar 18, 2011)

we started on quarters and to this day he's only gotten 2 chicken backs. 

we only removed the skin because of troubles with enzymes in the chicken that were having an adverse affect on our pup.


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