[Postal]

RFD, rannmiller, anyone ..?

Brian's been on his chicken for over a week now and I want to start adding variety to his chicken. I went and bought some hearts, kidneys, sweet bread and a big ol hunk of pork shoulder (10lbs. for $9.98!)..

My question is how to portion this thing out? Plenty of meat for 10 meals, but the bone ..? Do i just let him eat at the whole roast until he's full and walks away (he never eats more than fills him up thankfully, made that part easy on me heh) and then put the rest back in a bag in the fridge until the next day? Or should I cut all the meet off into individual portions and save the bone for a special day?

 

[RawFedDogs]

Brian's been on his chicken for over a week now and I want to start adding variety to his chicken.

Don't get in too bug a hurry with adding variety. Wait until the 2 week mark before adding other stuffs.

I went and bought some hearts, kidneys, sweet bread and a big ol hunk of pork shoulder (10lbs. for $9.98!)..

Cool, all that is great stuff and you got it at a great price. Put the organs in the freezer for a month or so. They will come in handy at that time.

As for the pork roast, cut it up into something close to meal size pieces. Put each meal in zip lock baggie and freeze it. You may or may not want to feed a whole piece(meal size piece) for a meal or you may want to cut each meal into bite size pieces. It's not critical which you do. I feed my dogs pork in one meal size piece and let them work at it to get it chewed down into managable pieces. Bones don't matter. You dn't have to feed bones every meal.

My question is how to portion this thing out? Plenty of meat for 10 meals, but the bone ..?

If thats the case, cut the pork into 10 pieces, ziplock each piece then freeze.

Do i just let him eat at the whole roast until he's full and walks away (he never eats more than fills him up thankfully, made that part easy on me heh) and then put the rest back in a bag in the fridge until the next day?

I prefer to cut the whole roast in to meal size pieces. Freeze it all for now.

Or should I cut all the meet off into individual portions and save the bone for a special day?

Yes ... When you do start feeding pork next week. Feed one evening meal a pork meal then feed another chicken meal the pork, etc. Alternate the evening meal between the two. If he has soft stools after a pork meal, feed two chicken meals then another pork meal. Make sense?

After he is used to eating raw in a few months, if yofuf wish you can just put the whole roast down and let him eat until he is full. Not now though.

 

[Postal]

Awesome, I was guessing a lot of that, was just unsure about the bone. I figured it was needed in every meal, that's good. I just read hearts aren't all that great, too. Is that right?

And I'll freeze the organs, then. I guess I was just eager to jump the gun heh. I feel bad all he eats is chicken.. but I guess it's what is best for him. It's hard to catch him pooping cuz he doesn't do it near as often anymore. If he does, I'm usually at work and he stays outside during the day.. but we'll see I suppose. The weekend is coming up, so I can see how the chicken is working out for him..

Thanks, RFD.

 

[rannmiller]

Actually, I've heard heart is one of the most nutritious parts of the animal, so I think you did pretty well there.

Don't feel bad for Brian that all he gets is chicken, isn't that better than the same kibble every single day anyway? He's leaps and bounds ahead of most dogs as far as tasty meals go, so I'd say he's probably pretty happy with it :smile:

 

[RawFedDogs]

Actually, I've heard heart is one of the most nutritious parts of the animal, so I think you did pretty well there.

Yes, hearts are great they are just not for beginners. Nutritionwise they are probably the most nutritious part of the cow. I buy beef heart in 60lb cases. I feed at least 3 or 4 lbs a week, sometimes more. I will feed one meal a week of nothing but beef heart. I don't know why chicken hearts should be less nutritous but I don't know for sure.

You just want to wait a couple of months before you begin adding them to the diet.

 

[Postal]

Can do. Thanks fellas

 

[EnglishBullTerriers]

I buy beef heart in 60lb cases. I feed at least 3 or 4 lbs a week, sometimes more.

Where do you get your beef hearts from?? I have no clue where to even start looking for something like that. Do you just go to a meat market type place to buy bulk like that??

 

[RawFedDogs]

I found a small independent mom & pop grocery store in a small town near me. I talked to the meat manager and talked him into special ordering stuff for me. Now I just call him on Monday morning, place an order which he adds to his regular order and it comes in on Thurs early afternoon. Its good for him because he doesn't have to do anything to my order but put it in the cooler. No pricing, no packaging, no nothing. Just put the boxes in the cooler until I get there a couple of hours later. He gives me a super price also. He just marks them up a little bit.

I order chicken backs & drumsticks & wings, turkey necks & wings, and beef hearts. The chicken stuff comes in 40# cases unfrozen. Turkey stuff is in 30# cases frozen and beef heart is in 60#cases frozen. An added service free of charge ... he runs the case of beef hearts through his band saw and cuts the whole case into 2" to 3" cubes. He cuts the box and all but it makes it easy for me to package in quart ziplocks. Cutting up 60# of beef heart all at one time is a big job. :smile: He saves me a lot of work.

I usually place an order with him every 3 or 4 weeks. I've had a lot of luck with these small independent grocery stores. I suggest you go in person to talk to them. Its harder to tell someone no in person and you can talk to him and explain how he won't have to handle the meat, just unload it and put it in the cooler. On the phone you are just an interruption. In person you are a customer.