# Chicken Quarter Question



## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Hi all--

I'm at the cottage on dial-up and doing searches is torture. I'm running low on Rafi's raw food but am buying a whole chicken from a farmer tomorrow so I'm going to give him some of that. Rafi weighs 56 pounds and up here he typically gets 3 to 4 hours of very intense exercise per day. He eats THREE meals a day, of equal size. Right now he gets 1.5 pounds of raw grind per day. 

If I give him one chicken quarter would that be equivalent to one meal? What about a breast? If I feed a breast should I also feed some of the liver or something like that? What about the back?

Thanks for any help...I don't usually feed whole parts to Rafi b/c he gulps his food and I have to watch him carefully and sometimes hold it so that he doesn't eat pieces that are too big.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

The 1/4 should be a meal as long as it is nice sized. I get them and some are smaller than others, so I add some muscle meat if that is the case. The back should be added w/ mm, preferably the breastmeat. the back sometimes has organs attached. Wings are boney, and fatty, because of the skin, so that should be w/ mm too! Maybe get some ground frozen turkey( as in a 1 lb tube) to make up the muscle meat difference?


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

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowIf I give him one chicken quarter would that be equivalent to one meal? What about a breast? If I feed a breast should I also feed some of the liver or something like that? What about the back?


It all depends on the chicken. Can you weigh stuff?

The wings, legs, thighs, back and neck are all RMBs. The breast is muscle meat (I'd throw the breast bone in there too) and the liver is organ.

You can mix and match any way you please.

Heck, if you are lucky the whole chicken will weight about 3 pounds. Then all you have to do is cut it in half (the long way) and then cut each half in thirds (doesn't matter how) and each of those are a meal.


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## lixy (Mar 14, 2007)

Does he need to have 3 meals per day? (ie. will he puke up bile if he doesn't get his meals at a set time) If not, and assuming the chicken is about 3 lbs, cut the chicken into havles and give him one. If you can get away with 2 meals, cut your half in half and give him one piece in the am and one in the pm. If he _really_ needs 3 meals, I would divide the bird into fifths (two breasts, two leg quarters, and the spine) and give him either 2 breasts and a leg quarter, or 2 leg quarters and a breast (and maybe even frozen if he is a gulper as you say).


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

I don't have the benefit of a scale because I am visiting my parents. I've bought whole chickens (generally around 3 lbs) and have cut them in half down the spine, then in half again. I feed the meatier portions, which is generally the back end with the leg quarter, for breakfast and then the smaller portion with the wing for dinner. If you're worried about gulping feed the portions frozen.

I'm sure that feeding two meals to the pup for the week won't be a big deal. If he starts spitting up bile then I guess you could try to split them into three meals but I found it hard to cut the chicken into more than just four chunks.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

I have had 1/4 range in weight from a tad less than 3/4 of a pound to over 1.5 pounds so it really does depend on the size of the bird. I would get a weight on the chicken when you by it and "guess" accordingly unless you can weight it.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Thanks for all of the info! 

The number of meals is non-negotiable. Rafi's metabolism is super fast and even giving him a smaller meal at night causes him to throw up bile in the morning. Plus he has an easier time digesting three meals. If he eats too much at a time he has more digestive problems. 

The bird I got weighs 4 pounds. He is not getting the whole thing. Cleo (my cat) and I are getting some of it too but ours will be grilled.







I really just need to supplement the raw food I have with me. I also have half of a raw meaty bone (pork) with me that I will give him for part of a meal. 

I would like to give him one of the leg quarters (which I'm gathering would equal a slightly larger meal than he normally gets) and the back and one of the breasts. 

I am a bit nervous about cutting up the chicken--can't remember the last time I've cut up a whole raw chicken. At least I have a v. sharp knife!!!!!!


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

Ruth - cut IN the joints. They are much softer bones and easier to cut.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

> Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowI am a bit nervous about cutting up the chicken--can't remember the last time I've cut up a whole raw chicken. At least I have a v. sharp knife!!!!!!


I'm feeling ill just thinking about this...


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: LJsMom
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: BowWowMeowI am a bit nervous about cutting up the chicken--can't remember the last time I've cut up a whole raw chicken. At least I have a v. sharp knife!!!!!!
> ...


Thanks for the vote of support, Joanne!









I am actually going to just cut off a bit for Rafi and then roast the rest of it and cut it up after it's cooked. Then Cleo and I can eat it. 

I do have one chicken thigh that I can feed Rafi tomorrow and today he had a raw meaty pork bone. He liked it so much that he didn't even notice it was pouring rain as he was finishing it.


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

Hey, I'm a wuss. I almost fainted last week cutting up LJ's Bravo rabbit chub. I kept thinking about little rabbit FooFoo, hopping through the forest...


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

> Originally Posted By: LJsMomI kept thinking about little rabbit FooFoo, hopping through the forest...



"... picking up the field mice and bopping them on the head."

Foo Foo was a BAD bunny!!


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## LJsMom (Jan 6, 2008)

I couldn't remember how the rest went!!!! My kids used to sing that when they were little.


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