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Will, try to find a local poultry processing plant or possibly a slaughter house near you. We get chicken from the local processing plant at $6 for a 40lb case. We also get free miscellaneous bones and chunks of meat from a local slaughter house.

Mike - Where do you live? I see your email provider is BellSouth...as is mine. I'm in NE Fla and get chicken necks and backs for $12/40lb case. If I could get them for $6, that'd be great!

Just a quick tip and then a question,If you are looking for a great place to purchase all sorts of great raw food for your dogs try an asian store or asian supermarket.You will find all sorts of great meat at a pretty cheap price.My question is what is everyone refering to when they say chicken backs? Are you talking about just the back of the chicken only or the whole chicken frame.When I purchase my chickens they come three to a bag and the bag cost .89$ There is no weight on them cause the chickens are different sizes but it figures out to be .28$ to .30$ a pound.The chickens come with the neck attached to the frame with all the meat romoved, is this what is meant by chicken backs?

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....Are you talking about just the back of the chicken only or the whole chicken frame......The chickens come with the neck attached to the frame with all the meat romoved, is this what is meant by chicken backs?

No.

There are two ways that chickens are cut up by the meat cutter, in general. One way splits it into two halves (or four quarters). The other way cuts off the two breast halves and the two thighs and two drumsticks. With this 2nd way, which is very common because the consumer wants those small specific pieces, the remainder, the backbone with the meat that is attached to it (and generally some organ meat clings too), is the back. At least that's what *I* mean.

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.....is this what is meant by chicken backs?

On this site about how to cut up fowl, the very bottom photo has all the pieces labeled.

http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/cutupchicken.htm

"D" and "E" on that bottom photo are the chicken back, which happens to be cut in half but probably would not be when you bought them.

You see that it's a pretty meaty part, definitely not just bone. Parts of organs stick to the underside, too, making this part pretty close to a perfect RMB for a dog. Softer bones, not weight-bearing, a good bone-to-meat ratio, and pieces of kidney, etc., thrown in! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Thanks Connie,that's exactly what i'm getting just not cut up also still has the neck attached,Thanks again for the help!

One can get creative. If you have an aution close by you can go buy your own meat and then get it taken to an abbatoire right away. MANY folk take 'good' meat product to the aution for good reasons. I get rid of my ewes that do not lamb well. Nothing else wrong...just not worth keeping if they need help etc. Or they are not good moms. I know a cattle farmer who started loosing pasture to 'lakes' with all the rain we got so took 4 young cows to the aution....sold for 100.00 each! Yikes...that would have fed a bunch of dogs for awhile! IN the prairies, it can get too expensive to keep too much 'stock' if the hay prices go up...just not worth it.

My older ewes (over a year) all go to my dogs for meat/bones. COurse, I also raise them organically so I feel good about that!

Now...a lot here depends on 'what you 'want'or are able to do vs. going and buying it a grocery store. I did have someone ask me for my lambs that didn't make it. (still born etc). I must admit...I haven't done that so far. I lost 4 last year due to the 'moms' not being great moms etc. I ended up burying them. BUT...there are places out there that would give them away if someone asked.

I think one of the best things you can do if you are going to feed raw is get in touch with others in your area doing it. Buying bulk in many ways is a great way to save money. We have several 'warehouses' out here that do the 'hard' work and then package and sell it. Some of it is expensive but some rasonable too.

My butcher does the chicken up for me and sells it to me for 79 cents a lb. This is ground/frozen and cut into blocks. The beef is heart/liver/kidney mixed with cuttings from steak etc. Again ground/frozen and cut into blocks for 49 cents a lb. They know me by name and sell me the meat at a discount as I am regular and buy lots. (I also take my lamb to them....so support thier small business) Family owned butcher shop. Most have more luck with these types of butchers in getting them to find you the 'best' deal.

TO me the REAL savings is in the health of the dogs! How often I DON"T have to see the vet etc.

Well I've finally found a butcher that will provide me with what I want. This is in the U.K. but I have converted the price to dollars.
Ground back and necks- 44 cents per lb,or 10lb for $3.53, or if I would like whole chickens, then 4 whole (12lb in weight) for $17.68. Does that sound ok?

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Well I've finally found a butcher that will provide me with what I want. This is in the U.K. but I have converted the price to dollars.
Ground back and necks- 44 cents per lb,or 10lb for $3.53, or if I would like whole chickens, then 4 whole (12lb in weight) for $17.68. Does that sound ok?

It's great! As we discussed in PM, you'll want to assure yourself at least once that the ground stuff you receive was what it was supposed to be and not all fat, skin, and bones.

Yes, I am paranoid...........and if you have a good relationship with the supplier and have asked serious questions about what's in the mince, then that is probably sufficient. (I PM'd you about boiling up a little and cooling it, if you're unsure, to check out how much of it might be waste fat.)

But this is probably overkill, and the price sounds great to me. And once you know what the right product looks like, then you'll know if it ever starts to get too fatty/skinnish/whatever.

Turkey legs and necks are cheap, a good source and larger pieces than chicken. Also if any of you are hunters, wild game is great. My dogs love vennison and squirrel. I purchase meat when it is on sale and store it in the freezer. Also, look for grocery auctions in your area. You can get some really great deals that way also. I feed 6 shepherds so I always look for deals.

The RSPCA would hang you out to dry if they knew you allowed your dogs to eat squirrel! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />