Need Help Getting Started

[daisy'smom]

OK, I need a little help getting started. The market has chickens on sale 59 cents per lb. I Figured I would start them tonight. OK I what do I do with whole chicken?? Do I quarter it? Cut off the wings & legs? Any help would be appreciated. I am going to give kibble one meal just to use it up. It is TOTW and I figured it would be best to use it. I don't have that much left.

Bobby (our other dog) will have no problem. Before we got him he killed rabbit and other small critters for food. I Guess he had to because his previous owner had him on OL Roy. Yuck

[whitedaisy]

I don't have all my good links here at work with me.
You need to figure out what her adult weight might be??? My Daisy is 50 lbs, so I feed 1 1/2 lbs daily or 12 oz each meal. I have a cheap kitchen scale that I measure with - I used to eyeball it but my Archie got overweight so I started weighing. You dont' have to cut it in small pieces cause part of the benefit is the ripping and chewing. It may take a little bit to get the idea but they usually figure it out soon enough. Take the whole chicken and cut and weigh the big hunks.

Just in case, so you don't worry, my Duey used to try to swallow too big of pieces and then vomit it up and re-eat. We just didn't watch him eat cause it was gross! LOL. Do stay nearby though just in case!!

[daisy'smom]

So I have to figure Georgie's adult weight? I thought it was her now weight which is probably 40 lbs. I think she will be 55 or so as an adult. I guess I need to do more reading.

[whitedaisy]

Yep, adult weight... Let me look for some links right now

[whitedaisy]

HOW MUCH DO I FEED? http://rawfed.com/myths/feedraw.html

This will also vary with your dog. A dog that is more active and has a higher metabolism will eat more, while a less active dog or one with a slower metabolism will eat less. Puppies will typically eat more than adults, since they need to fuel their rapidly growing body.

The recommended food amount is 2-3% of your dog's desired body weight per day. So for a 100lb dog, you will be feeding 2-3 pounds of food a day. If you are gorging and fasting, you may be feeding 6 pounds or more on a gorge day. A highly active dog may need closer to 3%, while a dog with slower metabolism may need closer to 2%.

How do you know if your dog is too fat or thin? You should be able to easily feel your dog's ribs and even see the outline of the last few floating ribs at the end of the ribcage that attaches to the vertebrae of the spine closest to the hips. You should not be able to see ALL the ribs, or the hip bones, or the vertebrae of the spine, just the outline of the last few floating ribs. If you stand above your dog, he should have a definite waist between his hips and ribcage. Remember that dogs are built differently from each other, so some may have a naturally stocky body that will not give you a waist no matter what you do. Know your dog!

For a puppy, feed 2-3% of his expected adult body weight per day. Puppies under 4 months of age are very good at self-regulating their food intake, and can be given the opportunity to eat at a carcass or raw meaty bone until they are full at each meal. Pick up the leftovers and feed them later. If the puppy starts gorging himself to the point he has a huge, swollen, distended belly, or if he is getting fat, regulate his portions at 2-3% of his adult body weight per day. If the pup is looking very skinny and is not putting on weight, get a fecal sample done to make sure he does not have worms, and then up his food intake if needed. Keep in mind that puppies grow at a slower, more regulated rate on raw food than on commercial foods. This translates to less chance of developing the bone and joint problems seen in puppies fed commercial foods. Do not force feed your pup in an effort to make it grow faster or bigger.

For an overweight dog: determine the desired body weight and then feed 2-3% of that ideal body weight per day. For an underweight dog: determine the desired body weight and feed 2-3% of that desired weight per day. For maintenance: feed 2-3% of the dog's current body weight per day and adjust the food amount as needed.


I just pasted the one section here but recommend you read the whole lot of info http://rawfed.com/myths/

[daisy'smom]

Thank you Lisa! I will let you know how their first meal goes.

[AussieGirl]

Originally Posted by daisy'smom

So I have to figure Georgie's adult weight? I thought it was her now weight which is probably 40 lbs. I think she will be 55 or so as an adult. I guess I need to do more reading.

Georgie is six months old now right? From six months onwards they are generally eating the amount they would as an adult. I used this Raw Feeding Calculator to check the amounts. Ruby is 10 months and gets about 450g if I did the conversion right it's 1lb per meal.

[daisy'smom]

Well I did it. The dogs had their first raw meal. I cut up a chicken (looked like Jack the Ripper got a hold of it!) and of course I could not find a scale. One would think that someone who has dieted as much as me would have one. I just guessed. Any way Bobby tore right into it, Georgie was not to sure. I had to tear some of the chicken off and hand feed her at first, then she dug in. She loved it. I fed them on the lawn and stayed with them till they finished. It does take them a while to eat. They ate every bit ( I am sure I overfed a little. Anyway I got started. I bought 4 chickens today (there was a limit of 4) and I will go get 4 more tomorrow. Now I need to get a freezer! I will post a picture of their first raw meal when ever I find my card reader!!(Georgie chewed my USB transfer cable to my new camera)!

[AussieGirl]

Thats great! It does take them a bit longer to eat but thats a + as it gets the acids in their stomachs moving so they can digest more efficiently and with a breed thats prone to bloat taking their time to eat reduces the risk. Don't be turned off if their stools are a little off while they get used to their new diet and remember vomiting a little bone is normal in the adjustment period (you'll find that they will just gobble it back up eww). Keep us updated on their progress.

[whitedaisy]

I knew they would love it!!! You will be so happy when you discover less poop and it won't smell so bad!!! THere are just so many benefits!!! Soon you'll be preaching raw to every one too!!