Ordered A meat grinder .... Soon RAW In/ Natures Variety RAW Out
Submitted by Deb and MacKenz... on May 23, 2011 - 5:52pmI have a question? Ester pukes on the Natures Variety RAW Chicken should I stay away from RAW Chicken totally with her or give it a try?
I have 2 weeks to figure out the feeding plan. Do you all weigh the food?
Great!
I would try the raw chicken. Often they tolerate the raw chicken better than the mixtures. The chicken backs have a good bone to meat ratio, and you will be able to grind also. I was never that precise, and often did some boneless chicken at first along with the bone in. Really, I was just feeling my way through. There is so much good advice now available.
I did weigh the food in the beginning. Kofi get's 8 oz at each meal. Since she's been on raw awhile, I don't always weigh now, but do keep the scales handy if I'm in doubt.
Anxious to hear how you do.
Exciting!
I agree with Carol I would
I agree with Carol I would try the chicken again, I'm like Carol sometimes I weigh out food sometimes I don't. You could weigh it out in the begining so your not giving to much food to start, sometimes to much in the begining will make it harder on them. Good luck.
Kofi's weight?
Wonder how much Kofi weighs? My main problem is worry if the boys are getting enough to eat.
1/2 lb ground turkey and a chicken leg each for breakfast.
A chicken hind quarter each for dinner.
And a Pet Tab plus each.
They are ready to eat and seem satisfied after eating. I'm a worry wart so I see weight loss even if there is none.
My daughter came over , husband and 3 year old, and they stayed in their cages and were quiet,
which they had in the past been bad boys beggin' to get out.
Steve
Mean people still suck
Kofi weighs
58 lbs. When we started on raw she was 61, and that is too much for her. I have been feeding about a pound a day since starting because I was wanting to get her weight to mid 50's. She is holding true to 58 though.
A good rule of thumb is feeding 2-3% of the dogs ideal wight. Kofi's ideal is closer to 54 lbs. I have seen her change to more muscle though, and her ribs are abit more visible.
There is a picture of Kofi last September.
I try to give her 8 oz twice a day in her meals. She does get chicken feed or a sardine or two thru the day though. I am not really that precise.
It sounds like you are feeding your guys alot, but if they are doing well, maybe not.
Keep in mind though, that when feeding raw, there is very little that they do not absorb. That's why their poo's are firm and small.
I change the rules up, so I usually am not exact in giving a description of her raw diet.
I will say that feeding raw has NOT made her easier to control when the grandson comes! I wish she wouldn't get so excited. She is in a state of excitement the whole time he is here.
Not chicken feed
sorry......chicken feet.
Also, out of practice on my picture posting.
Kof was three months on raw at the time of that picture.
I do weigh
because I am REALLY bad at eyeballing it and Audrey gets diarrhea if she eats too much.
I don't try to get precise amounts though, more of a guide so I know how much to feed for the next meal. For example right now she is eating rabbit, and it's cut into 4 pieces. If one of the pieces ends up being WAYYY over her 6 oz, Eric will cut it a bit. If it's just a bit over, we know next meal to go a bit less.
Organs though I really have to weigh. Audrey gets hers daily and it is too hard for me to get 1 oz with any kind of accuracy.
As far as the chicken goes, if your dog has trouble with it I'd skip it for a bit. Let them get used to eating meat only and adjust to the different textures, then add back chicken. You can use pork ribs for bone, or rabbit, or lamb. Audrey does not eat chicken at all anymore and hasn't for about 6 months.
Cathy and Audrey
What type of Grinder?
I feel I need a grinder to save money on the raw feedin . And so I can patty up their food head and freeze it.
My only complaint is it's kinda messy I guess ya get smarter about it as you go. Dogs have no complaints. Brother wanted to season his in the dirt and gravel and that ain't happening, so I take off the skin on the leg quarters and give it a few slices and hold and tug with the dogs yet, but it's only been a few days. In the morning I've been feeding ground turkey, and ground chicken from the store , 8 oz per dog.
I can see a difference in the dogs, and in the yard too, seems like a waste...no pun intended.
Mean people still suck
I have been very happy with
my SamBaere grinder.....about $139.
Grinder
I got Cabela's Pro Grinder, it is the Waring MG-800 MG Pro. I liked that it has a stainless body, compared to a plastic body and I didn't like how the motor slowed down in the video on the SamBraer when it was grinding. The reviews say the Waring grinder is noisy but it seems they all are. My sisters BF is a hunter and this is the grinder he uses and has been happy with it. It seems they all are time consuming to clean so my intention is to grind once a month and freeze weighed out meals so I can thaw daily similar to what I do with the patties.
I probably won't put it to use until I get moved and have a frig with more freezer space.
Oh....and I had a $25 gift card from Cabela's I needed to spend.
I have a Lowes card
Lol...so it is the Waring Pro too.
Seems to do what I want at this time, and I didn't have the cash in the middle of the week.
I went to Lowes to get a small part, and guess what , they sell grinders..
I sure have big hopes for raw, I may add some of the Food grade DE I have...but the garlic...well maybe....
I remember laughing and crying at the same time over Bulldog farts....
Steve
Mean people still suck