[Ania's Mommy]

I know this is a weird question, but what exactly ARE chicken gizzards? I always thought they were just misc. organs that I would never eat. But when I was at the store today and saw some marked WAY down (gotta love those almost expired meat deals!), I got to thinking. Now that I am feeding raw, I've gotten to know my organs a little better. But what was in the package did NOT look like any organs that I am familliar with. The "butcher" was of no assistance either. So what are they?!?! More importantly, are they considered organ meat as far as raw feeding goes (I now know that heart is not, thanks to RFD :smile?

Thanks!
Richelle

 

[oakley]

Muscle!

I'm pretty sure the gizzards are considered a muscle tissue. They are not organs. But your dog will still love eatin' em! :biggrin:

 

[RawFedDogs]

Gizzards act kinda like a stomach. The chicken eats pebbles that stay in the gizzard and those pebbles grind up the food that is swallowed. Nutritonally they are muscle.

 

[whiteleo]

Gizzards aren't considered a organ, probably more like a muscle meat from a chicken. My dogs love them, and my husband just fried some up a couple days ago for us and they were great!

 

[Ania's Mommy]

Well then I'm glad I bought several packages of them. :smile: Now that I know they aren't organs, maybe I'll try some myself. Aw, who am I kiddin'? That's not happening! Thanks eveyone!

 

[HarleyandRoscoesMom]

I fed my dogs gizzards yesterday...they had gas all night for the first time since we started raw they did get some tuna yesterday also from the kids lunch (gotta break them of feeding them..lol yeah right never happen)
So has anyone else had this problem with gizzards or maybe tuna but they didnt have alot of tuna...btw it was more of a human smell than the old nasty dog gas they use to have my husband kept asking if it was one of us lol

 

[RawFedDogs]

I strongly suspect that the telling word in your post is gizzardS (ending in "s"). It should have read, "I fed my dogs a gizzard yesterday...". You want to start organs slowly with a little bit at a time. You can gradually add volume but I don't tihnk you ever want to feed a meal of organ meat. Organ meat is usually a part of a meal of meat and bones. Generally, a dog will tell you when you have reached his organ limit in the same or worse manner that they used last night. I know gizzards nutritionally aren't organs but they are rich and can give digestive problems if not introduced slowly. :smile:

Also I prefer to add new things only one at a time. That way if there is a problem, you know what caused it and it helps you decide what to do differently next time. If you had done that you would have known pretty quickly, "Ooops, too many gizzards today." :smile:

 

[HarleyandRoscoesMom]

I didnt feed them as a meal they had a couple a piece they get chicken for a meal right now....so if 2 a piece gives them gas should I just not feed them again??? And the tuna was a very little just what fell on the floor from the kids

 

[RawFedDogs]

I would wait until they are back to normal for a few days and try feeding one each. If they are still problematic, don't feed them again for 3 or 4 months. They should be ok by then. That little bit of tuna shouldn't have done anything.

Sorry, I deleted part of your post by accident. As moderator, I have more buttons and I accidentally hit one I shouldn't have. :redface:

 

[HarleyandRoscoesMom]

I would wait until they are back to normal for a few days and try feeding one each. If they are still problematic, don't feed them again for 3 or 4 months. They should be ok by then. That little bit of tuna shouldn't have done anything.

Sorry, I deleted part of your post by accident. As moderator, I have more buttons and I accidentally hit one I shouldn't have. :redface:

Its ok thank you for all your help!! I will probably wait till at least next week to maybe try and give them again in a week one at a time....do you think this would be something to use as a training treat? Should I wait the full 3 or 4 months for liver? My pups are 5 mths old

 

[RawFedDogs]

Gizzards are much too large for training treats. I use VERY VERY VERy VERY small training treats. Authority Little liver treats from Petsmart or BilJack little liver treats. They both appear to be the same thing. They are in little nuggets about the size of a kibble. Each of the little nuggets makes about 15 or 20 treats. Treats don't need to be large to be effective and you don't want the dog taking time to chew them. When I'm in serious training mode, I will treat a dog about 10 times a minute or more. There is no chewing time built into that. In the mouth and swallow. :smile:

You could start liver when you have been raw feeding about 6 weeks to 2 months. Just a pinch to begin with. Maybe every 3 days or so. Build that up until it is the level you wish to feed.