# raw feeders/$'s and lb's



## lcht2 (Jan 8, 2008)

im curious as to what the price of raw your paying is and how much you go through a month. i know this will vary depending on your dogs and how many you have but for a general idea, i think this will be helpfull for others also. thanks


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## Gib Laut (Feb 21, 2010)

First, I am from Canada, so I figure I'll give you some numbers and you can be thankful you don't have to pay the prices!lol....dex is 75 pounds and full grown. He goes between eating 2% and 2.5% of his weight.....generally around 1.5-1.85 pounds per day, but that depends on activity. Saying 1.5 per day over 30 days you're looking at 45 pounds....

chicken backs .38/lb
quarters 1.27/lb
ground chicken with carcass .90/lb (don't usually buy this)
venison (ground) naturally reared local, 2.49/lb
beef trim, grass fed organic .80-1.00/lb depending on farm
beef organs, tongue, oxtail, grass fed organic....no set price around 1.00 each (everything more than a pound for sure)
beef bones, grass fed, organic $4.00 for bag about 7 pounds
eggs, free range $3.00 from the farm, cracked ones for free
lamb trim, grass fed, organic 1.00/lb
pork riblets 1.39/lb
turkey necks 1.60/lb
fish- depends, he's picky on fish...sardines are .89/can, smelts come in bags etc.

I do get lots of freebies and anything from a farm can be less depending on who's cleaning out the freezer. I have bought 60 lbs of various "stuff" for $30.00.....filled up my trunk....


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Jax eats about 1.5 - 2% or 1-1 1/2 lbs per day. Most of what I buy is less than $1/lb. With supplements, I would say about $45/month or less.


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## Lauri & The Gang (Jun 28, 2001)

Before I joined the Quest program I was paying the following:

$.57/lb - Chicken necks
$.49/lb - chicken quarters
$.55/lb - turkey necks
$.32/lb - chicken backs
$.69/lb - pork hearts
$.39/lb - pork necks
$.55/lb - beef heart

Those are all BULK prices - usually 40 lbs or more per case.


I go through roughly 18 pounds of RMBs, 17 pounds of MM and about 1 pound of OM per week for my 6 dogs. Add in another couple pounds for the cats (when they decide to EAT the raw stuff).


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## smyke (Sep 24, 2009)

Fanta is not eating her chicken backs lately  so we had to get a bit "crazy" this last time.

Chicken Quarters - $0.59/lb
Beef Heart - $1.59/lb
Turkey Drums - $0.89/lb
Pork Rib Ends - $1.49/lb

its all in 30# cases (or more).

She eats 2lbs per day at the most. A lot less lately due to temperatures outside.

PS.
Lauri always gets good deals.  time to start shipping to other states. share the wealth.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I just found out my green tripe supplier has decided to go out of business...taylorpondfarms....whaaaaa.
So the price of that will double with shipping if a local distributer can't be found.
I get most of the meat from Quest/sustainable selections, the only thing I buy besides the tripe is beef kidney $1.29# and turkey necks 99cents# all in bulk quantity.
Now and then I have to get some leg 1/4s as I don't get alot of bone in the SS stuff. 
I spend $40 a month to SS. My co-op head only charges $25, but I kick some extra in for her time and gas. I have 3 GSD's and they are fed an average of about 2# a day each. Training w/ Karlo, I do buy the natural balance rolls and string cheese or block cheese.
We have chickens so the dogs get eggs a few times a week.


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## elisabeth_00117 (May 17, 2009)

I too am from Canada so my prices may be a bit off for you.. but here goes.

Stark
16 months old, 84lbs

Generally 2lbs of food per day (1lb RBM, 14.4 ounces of MM, and 1.6 ounces of OM) - lately a little more cause he's going through a growth/filling out spurt.

Turkey (necks, quarters, hearts, liver) I get in bulk. I pay $150 for 400lbs, I always get about 200lbs of necks and the rest is divided up differently each order. Last me about 2-4 months.

Ground beef I buy in bulk as well. I pay $3.00 per pound. It's $3.99 at the grocery store.

Rabbit I buy at the local farmers market and can get 1 rabbit for about $15.00. I hardly ever get any deals on that.

Chicken I buy in bulk and usually get backs, necks and gizzards. I pay about $100 for 100lbs (again, mixed and different with every order).

Beef and pork hearts I buy in bulk and pay $30.00 for a 60lbs box.

Fish (Talipia) I pay $12.00 for a box of 18 fish.

Pork and beef rib lets I pay $3.00 per pound.

I buy almost all of my meat from local farmers and I can usually get quite a deal from them. Some are "grandfather types" and because I am a student they give me deals.. I sweet talk my way into them sometimes (bring the dog too for them to gush over). Mostly because I buy from them on a constant basis, will take what they got and keep coming back they give me good deals. Now most of them throw in extras for the dog. I just got some antlers from a farmer who I buy my turkey off of when he went hunting because "he thought Stark might like them".


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## rmedgbert (Nov 5, 2010)

If you can find a source for Common Sense Raw it is pre-ground and mixed with veggies and some vitamins. From our source (Von Grunheide Shepherds) it works out to be less than what we'd get the base ground meat for if we tried to do it on our own. There are choices for beef, buffalo and chicken.


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

I lucked into a VERY awesome deal that allows me to get whole rabbits for aprx. $1 per lb. Thus, a lot of what I am feeding now is whole prey rabbit. Works out great for me, as everything is already totally balanced!

But in order to maintain diversity in the diet, I also get/pay:

Chicken leg quarters; $.59 per lb
Chicken livers; $1.09 per lb
Beef liver; aprx. $2 per lb
Beef kidney; aprx $1 per lb
Boneless beef brisket; $1.98 per lb
Bone-in pork shoulder; $1.65 per lb
Turkey necks; aprx $1.25 per lb

And sometimes turkey legs/wings when they're cheap (under $2 per lb), and canned sardines/salmon for when I'm too lazy to thaw something out. 

My general rule is, nothing over $2 per lb... I don't keep track of exactly how much I spend per month, but its usually cheaper than what I was paying for high-quality, grain-free kibbles. 

Mulder eats ~ 1.5 pounds a day.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

My dogs hate rabbit! I wish they would eat it, but Karlo will absolutely not eat rabbit...Onyx and Kacie do because they are in competition with each other, but the last time I fed it, Onyx went out and barfed it back up...of course she ate it again, but I know they really don't like it. I was getting a good deal on it from a guy that raises it for his great danes.


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

onyx'girl said:


> My dogs hate rabbit! I wish they would eat it, but Karlo will absolutely not eat rabbit...Onyx and Kacie do because they are in competition with each other, but the last time I fed it, Onyx went out and barfed it back up...of course she ate it again, but I know they really don't like it. I was getting a good deal on it from a guy that raises it for his great danes.


Mulder wouldn't touch it at first... I think the fur threw him for a serious loop!

I ended up skinning one of the legs and cutting into the stomach a little bit for him. THAT got him started, and now he practically mauls me when I bring one out for him.

Its still sad to see those cute little faces get crunched, though :teary:


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## manther21 (Aug 12, 2008)

Not the bunnies!!

I'm buying my quarters, legs, wings, and chicken breasts as I need them 

I have yet to find a butcher.  The ones I call can't sell/give me what they would throw away without the owner of the meats permission. And others think I'm crazy. Lol

Anyone know one in Kansas? I'm still really new to this.

I am averaging about $1.80/lb and about $30 a week. Still a little too high for me.


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

With my 3 dogs (2 GSD and 1 JRT), I go through about 150 lbs of meat each month. The GSD's each eat about 2 lbs a day, and my 15 lb JRT eats one pound each day...kinda funny since he's 1/4 of the size but is eating half as much food. 

Anyway - prices...
Chicken quarters - sometimes .49/lb, up to .79/lb
Venison (seasonal - but I try to stock up so I can feed year round) - 1.05/lb
Pork - .79-.99/lb for pork shoulders
Tripe - one of the more expensive meats, about 1.75/lb
Turkey - whole turkeys for 1.19/lb
Beef - I don't buy often but sometimes 1.99/lb
Beef Organs (Pancreas, liver, spleen, lung) - 1.30/lb

I recently found a new source, it's a 2.5 hr drive one way, but I am going to buy in bulk, so it's worth it...
heart and liver - .50/lb
goat/whole dressed rabbits/llama/sheep - 1.50/lb

I have also purchased whole animals and my husband will process them - whole sheep (ewes about 160-180 lbs live weight) for $50-100 each, and goats (about 150-200 lb each) for about $125 each. These are only available seasonally, as they are "culls" from the breeding program. He usually has a group in the fall and a few in the spring. I like getting these animals, not only because the price works out to be great, but I know where they came from, that they were happy and healthy, plus I get the parts that I wouldn't be able to get otherwise!
The sheep are from the flock where I train Kessy every week, so I know they are extremely well cared for and happy!

Overall I am paying more than I was when the dogs were on kibble. I think I figured it out that if I pay .80/lb or less for raw, I would break even, and most of what I feed is a dollar or more, but it's really worth it to me.


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

Yikes you don't want to live where I do.....

Chicken frames $.50 each
Necks $3.00 KG (2.2 pounds)
Drumsticks $4.00 KG
Livers $15.00 KG
Lamb kidney $4.99 KG
Chicken or beef trim $6.99 KG
Beef heart $7.99 KG
Sardines (can) about $1.50

I can't think of other meats/prices off the top of my head but it is not cheap to feed Miss Moo! I would spend about $30-40 a week


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## CaseysGSD (Oct 15, 2010)

Just for a diffrent prespective I feed premade raw, cost about $40 for 10 days ($30 if one of the bags is chicken) so that would be about $120 a month ($90 if I always keep one option as chicken)....I feed the premade patties, the tube stuff that you have to split up your self is cheeper.


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

Who wants Wabbit... LOL I have been trapping rabbits for the last 11/2 years and I am up to 29 but of course I release them elsewhere. Darn things can really destroy your landscape.


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## Dainerra (Nov 14, 2003)

I stopped feeding RAW here because it was so hard to find supplies. I was very spoiled when I lived in WV, though.

Chicken backs - 30cents/lb - 40lb box

goat/sheep/beef scraps - free from the local slaughter house. was all trimmings/scrap but a good variety. averaged about 5-6 lbs a week during the slow seasons

elk/buffalo/duck/bear - free from the local deer processors. they would call and I'd go load up 5-6 coolers. Usually didn't even have to chop the meat at all since it was trimming pieces from processing the meat. Just bag it up and toss it in the freezer

venison - free. filled the freezer and alternated with other stuff for variety. 

turkey necks - 50cents a lb - 40lb box

Was definitely cheaper than kibble for me when I lived there!
-----

ETA: my main expenses were start up - bought 2 used freezers, 1 for $25 and 1 for $50


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## atravis (Sep 24, 2008)

ZAYDA said:


> Who wants Wabbit... LOL I have been trapping rabbits for the last 11/2 years and I am up to 29 but of course I release them elsewhere. Darn things can really destroy your landscape.


Hey, don't waste perfectly good food! We'd be happy to take them off your hands


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## seyffertc (Sep 8, 2010)

Zayda I am in Great Lakes IL and have been thinking about RAW but the wifey complains its to much money lol if your just catching and releasing else where .... maybe we can work a deal of sorts??


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## ZAYDA (Apr 22, 2010)

I don't think raw is much money but it depends on how well you want to feed your dog weather it be a quality kibble or raw. There is definitely more work involved in feeding raw.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

While I feed a mix of kibble and raw depending on the day....I was able to get a butcher to get me necks and hearts - they are in the freezer. 

But most of the time I get whole chickens and cut it up and make supper for me and give the bones, meat and organs (it comes with heart and liver) to the dogs. I always end up throwing away cause I can't eat a whole chicken so this way saves me money - give to the dogs before cooking! Each chicken is about $4.50 each. Some are .99 per lb and some $1.89 depending on what is available. I have a few dogs....otherwise a whole chicken could probably last me 2 - 3 with one dog....depending on the size.

I got about 75 lbs worth of hearts and necks to begin with and that was about $100 I think. I can't remember now. But the hearts are going to last all year at a minimum. The necks will last a while too.....

I find it easy to just do the chicken and cut it up. But when sales are on with the quarters I'm there!


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