# Argh..chicken necks.



## redheadsnotwarheads (Nov 26, 2009)

Ok. So i just bought a 40lb. case of what was supposed to be chicken backs with necks attached. Except the necks are NOT attached. I have a nearly 100lb. 9mo. Great Dane that I am fairly certain cannot eat necks because they are too small...yes? She will be starting on RAW tonight for dinner.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I've never heard of having backs and necks still attached, your dog being so large I'm not sure if you still try to feed those necks or not.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

also, once her question is answered... would chicken drumsticks be ok for my 65 pound dog or are they too small? I'd assume they'd be ok. I just got a bunch for 29 cents a pound and want to know if i should get more.


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## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I know RFD would say no! My dogs who are 58 and 61lbs do just fine with drumsticks and wings, I think it really depends on the dog.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

whiteleo said:


> I know RFD would say no! My dogs who are 58 and 61lbs do just fine with drumsticks and wings, I think it really depends on the dog.


ok thanks. my dog does fins with turkey drumsticks this is the first time trying chicken drumsticks though. guess it depends on the dog and how they chew em up.


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## Ania's Mommy (Feb 8, 2009)

redheadsnotwarheads said:


> Ok. So i just bought a 40lb. case of what was supposed to be chicken backs with necks attached. Except the necks are NOT attached. I have a nearly 100lb. 9mo. Great Dane that I am fairly certain cannot eat necks because they are too small...yes? She will be starting on RAW tonight for dinner.


Feed your dogs the backs and use the necks to make chicken stock for yourself. :biggrin:

Or, you could probably cut the necks into little bite-sized pieces and feed them to your dogs.

Or, you could just hold on to the necks until your dog is full grown and feed them at that point. By then, they will be the bite-sized chunks I mentioned before. :biggrin:

Richelle


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

Ania's Mommy said:


> Feed your dogs the backs and use the necks to make chicken stock for yourself. :biggrin:
> 
> Or, you could probably cut the necks into little bite-sized pieces and feed them to your dogs.
> 
> ...


i wouldn't cut them into bite size pieces. you dont want the dog to swallow the bone without chewing it up at all. it's much better for a very small dog to have a larger bone then a large dog to have a small one or small pieces.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Your puppy is probably big enough already to swallow those necks whole without much of an issue. You could try holding on to them and force him to chew a bit. They are probably small enough that it wouldn't be a choking hazard either. But I wouldn't start out giving the necks because if he does swallow them whole, his body is not and won't be able to handle that much whole bone yet. Remember that his digestive secretions have to change to the point where they are capable of taking care of bones like that. Should take a week or so for his body to function correctly to digest bones. This is the reason why almost all newly switched dogs have pieces of bone in their poop, but experienced raw fed dogs can handle whole rib bones and be fine.

Keep the necks around until he has been on raw for a few weeks and then give them. I would look into getting chicken quarters if you can and alternate those with the chicken backs since quarters are more appropriate for his size.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> Your puppy is probably big enough already to swallow those necks whole without much of an issue. You could try holding on to them and force him to chew a bit. They are probably small enough that it wouldn't be a choking hazard either. But I wouldn't start out giving the necks because if he does swallow them whole, his body is not and won't be able to handle that much whole bone yet. Remember that his digestive secretions have to change to the point where they are capable of taking care of bones like that. Should take a week or so for his body to function correctly to digest bones. This is the reason why almost all newly switched dogs have pieces of bone in their poop, but experienced raw fed dogs can handle whole rib bones and be fine.
> 
> Keep the necks around until he has been on raw for a few weeks and then give them. I would look into getting chicken quarters if you can and alternate those with the chicken backs since quarters are more appropriate for his size.


what do you think about my 65 pound dog and chicken drumsticks?


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

Totally OT: But every time I see your user name redheadsnotwarheads I think of FoTC.


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Todd said:


> what do you think about my 65 pound dog and chicken drumsticks?


Does she chew them or just swallow them whole? If she crunches on them a bit I don't see the harm.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> Does she chew them or just swallow them whole? If she crunches on them a bit I don't see the harm.


I haven't tried them yet. I'll feed tonight and let you know. Thanks.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Todd said:


> also, once her question is answered... would chicken drumsticks be ok for my 65 pound dog or are they too small? I'd assume they'd be ok. I just got a bunch for 29 cents a pound and want to know if i should get more.


I wouldn't feed a 65lb dog, drumsticks. If you have some, go ahead and feed them and watchc her closely while she eats. After these are gone, don't get anymore. You need to start think bigger. Nothing smaller than a back.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

redheadsnotwarheads said:


> Ok. So i just bought a 40lb. case of what was supposed to be chicken backs with necks attached. Except the necks are NOT attached. I have a nearly 100lb. 9mo. Great Dane that I am fairly certain cannot eat necks because they are too small...yes? She will be starting on RAW tonight for dinner.


Your 100 lb Dane should be able to swallow a chicken neck whole without problem but like danemama said, hold off on them for a couple of months until your dogs has adjusted better to digesting real food. Chicken necks aren't something you should feed after these are gone unless its the only way you can get backs.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

RawFedDogs said:


> Your 100 lb Dane should be able to swallow a chicken neck whole without problem but like danemama said, hold off on them for a couple of months until your dogs has adjusted better to digesting real food. Chicken necks aren't something you should feed after these are gone unless its the only way you can get backs.


Just a clarification...

why can a dog swallow a chicken neck whole but you're worried about a chicken drumstick being too small for my dog (she may swallow it whole)? Just wondering what makes chicken necks different. Thanks.


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## CorgiPaws (Mar 31, 2009)

Todd said:


> Just a clarification...
> 
> why can a dog swallow a chicken neck whole but you're worried about a chicken drumstick being too small for my dog (she may swallow it whole)? Just wondering what makes chicken necks different. Thanks.


there's small enough to swallow without an issue. 
then there's borderline, too small to  chew up, to big to go down nicely
then there's the perfect size, requires chewing to go down.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

CorgiPaws said:


> there's small enough to swallow without an issue.
> then there's borderline, too small to chew up, to big to go down nicely
> then there's the perfect size, requires chewing to go down.


ok makes sense. thanks.


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## rawfeederr (Sep 9, 2009)

You could feed them frozen so she is forced to chew them, or like another member said, keep them for yourself! :smile:


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Todd said:


> Just a clarification...
> 
> why can a dog swallow a chicken neck whole but you're worried about a chicken drumstick being too small for my dog (she may swallow it whole)? Just wondering what makes chicken necks different. Thanks.


The drumstick bone is a big, long, and dense one as compared to many smaller, lighter and more compact bones. The long bone has more potential to
cause a blockage because it takes longer to digest than the lighter bones of the neck. So for a newly switched dog to raw, the bones don't spend enough time in the stomach to digest fully and can cause a problem further down the line. For an experienced raw fed dog, a drumstick is less of an issue.


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## RawFedDogs (Jun 16, 2008)

Todd said:


> Just a clarification...
> 
> why can a dog swallow a chicken neck whole but you're worried about a chicken drumstick being too small for my dog (she may swallow it whole)? Just wondering what makes chicken necks different. Thanks.


Because the dog is question is much larger than your dog with a larger throat. A chicken neck to that dog is little more that a good size pill to us. Your dog on the other hand is smaller and the drumstick and easily get stuck on the way down. My Great Danes can easily swallow a whole drumstick with no issue but they are more than double the size of your dog.


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## redheadsnotwarheads (Nov 26, 2009)

Ok here's what we tried tonight:

Started out with some semi frozen necks just to see if she would chew them because that's always her first thought, chew what I'm given. It worked out well for the first 3-4 we handed her...them she gulped. We stopped the necks immediately and pulled out a chicken quarter and guided her through that process. At first she wanted to run away and play with it, so we blocked her into the kitchen and I held onto the leg part while she gummed/chewed (no crunching yet) the thing. Suddenly she started getting it, and then just started crunching through it like there was no tomorrow. Total success!

So from now on we will just feed the quarters since I don't have a good way to get backs without driving an hour each way. Also..keep the suggestions coming! I had planned on doing this the right way with backs for the first week or so but my supplier obviously fell through so quarters it is...

Sorry so long, thanks again!


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## DaneMama (Jun 27, 2008)

Quarters are just fine to start on as well! Just a bit less bone, but I have known many people to start on just quarters. Keep an eye on his stool and make sure it's solid before taking the next step and adding other things in!


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## spookychick13 (Jan 26, 2010)

Yay, congrats redhead!

I hope you're having fun and your dog is loving it.


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## Todd (Jan 13, 2010)

danemama08 said:


> Quarters are just fine to start on as well! Just a bit less bone, but I have known many people to start on just quarters. Keep an eye on his stool and make sure it's solid before taking the next step and adding other things in!


when i started the full time switch to all prey model between 1.5 and 2 months ago, my dog started on all chicken quarters as well. she did great! Now I've added some turkey drumsticks and pork ribs.


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