chicken carcasses - how much and how often?

[jmanagh]

Hi All,

I am thinking of ordering a couple of boxes of chicken carcasses.What I need to know is:-
1). Do you give a whole one to an adult Cocker? Would this replace a meal? (Basil has 2 meals a day).
2). When can Alfie have them? He is 10 weeks at present. How much should he start with?
3). How often can I feed them?
4). Are these as good at cleaning teeth as other bones?

Thaks for your help 

Jacqui

[lindseyp]

I will attempt to answer this in colour coordinated replies      

1.Toby has one whole one for breakfast every morning - the girls have half each. Toby's still quite young (14 months) & a far busier/ more active dog than the more 'sedate' girls - let 'maintaining a weight your happy with' be your guide 
4. no experience of feeding at that age but would  guess it would be fine (hope someone who has experience comes along to answer this correctly one for you 
3.  My 4 have them for breakfast everyday 
4. yes

I feel carcassess are better than wings in way of nutritional value & for teeth cleaning etc ....  wings can go down in one chomp sometimes whereas the carcass takes a little more chewing   

My 4 have additional minced meat/bone/fish/offal ( type varying from day to day) + blixed veg at tea time.

(tip for splitting carcass - slide thumb down ribs of carcass, then pull up & apart the two halves. I find it easier to do proir to feezing & wear protective gloves ....thumb can get sore after doing quite a few  )

Hope this is of help 
Lindseyx

[elaine.e]

I buy chicken carcasses from the same source as LindseyP and their weight varies a bit, but usually around the 165g - 190g mark. They have a surprising amount of meat on the bones. Louis has a whole one a couple of times a week and takes his time eating and enjoying it. William has either half a carcass or a chicken wing and a bit of other raw meat and veg. to make up to the 150g he normally has because he's prone to terrible constipation if he eats a lot of bone.

[janandted]

Mollie has half a carcass every morning ........abought 100g she then has 200g of raw meat offal or fish in the evening. She weighs 10 kg If a carcass is small then she also has a raw egg.
 
Mollie has had chicken carcasses since she was 9 wks with no problems.

[mlynnf50]

Sorry to sound stupid but is this only the body, with no wings or legs on it

[karen488]

Where do you buy them? Do you have to chop them up? Mine were having wings but Bingley inhaled 4 the other day which made me worry (they were jointed). Would like to try carcasses...

[jmanagh]

Where do you buy them? Do you have to chop them up? Mine were having wings but Bingley inhaled 4 the other day which made me worry (they were jointed). Would like to try carcasses...

http://www.nurturingbynature.co.uk/Chicken_Carcass_p/carcx40.htm

I was looking at getting some from here, but other places sell them. Whether you chop them up depends on how big Bingley is and how well he tolerates bone.

Sorry to sound stupid but is this only the body, with no wings or legs on it

It's not a stupid question and you are correct in your assumption They are just the main body of a chicken without wings or legs 

[janandted]

Yes I get mine from nurturing by nature as it's only 10 mins away,however I have bought them from the butcher both here and various other parts of the country whilst on holiday .I don't chop them up ....Mollie breaks it up quite efficiently and it's better for her teeth 

[jmanagh]

Thanks for some very detailed replies everyone, it has been very helpful 

[sarahm2008]

Im totally new to all this, dont the dogs get the bones stuck in their throats / choke? silly question im sure!