# Raw feedin' fer Doofuses?



## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

I've never fed DIY raw in America before. I've been living with The Doofinator







in Germany, and this is what I did there: I ordered baggies of frozen headmeat (from beef) from a company that shipped it frozen for raw feeders, and just tossed in a chicken quarter from the store for each meal. (a teeny bit o' liver too, some yogurt, fish oil, and called it "Dinnah" LOL)

How can I feed raw cheaply in USA? I will buy a 5 cu ft stand-alone freezer, if it will fit in the apartment that I hope to get. 

How do I find the raw co-ops for Massachusetts on Yahoo lists? I am unable to drive-- will this leave me out of the co-op, if the source is not within the next two towns where the Dial-a-Ride can go?
















Or, does America have companies that can ship lots of CHEAP frozen bagged MM, and I can find a SuperWalmart for chicken quarters?

I may or may not be in an area to find a butcher. I cannot drive, so I MUST rely on Dial-a-Ride services, which only go into surrounding towns.

I miss hucking a chicken quarter into the digital foodscale's bowl, tossing in a bit of the ground headmeat from the defrosted frozen baggie, and doing raw cheaply in Germany.

Ideas for me?


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

I went to Yahoogroups ans searched on BARF MA - here's what I found:

http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/metrowestmaco_op/

10 members and not very active as far as posts go


Try searching Yahoogroups with BARF and the name of the biggest city near you.

Also try searching using RAW FEEDING and the city name.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Thanks Lauri. Unfortunately, it's rather in the boonies!







Quite an isolated area. Does America have cheap ground headmeat, frozen in bags and shipped?


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## Riley's Mom (Jun 7, 2007)

Patti, I dunno if this will interest you but you might want to have a look at dehydrated raw. About 5-6 weeks ago we started ours on The Honest Kitchen brand. Their Force & Embark flavors are grain free so we stick with those two:

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/index.shtml

We have pet stores in our area that if they don't carry something, they are willing to get it for us if we ask. You can also order online and have it shipped to your house, but I'm afraid that shipping costs would really add to the already pretty high price of this stuff. If you have the money, then it's not a problem. 

I do add a little bit of raw or cooked chix (which mine prefer) and some canned veggies. Tonight I added raw ground beef 93/7.

For us this is turning out to be a bit pricey so we will prolly have to make some adjustments. I did find that I'm not throwing out food like I had to with dry/canned mix we were doing before so I have to give the food credit for that anyway







but it's still pretty pricey for our budget. Not so bad if you only have one dog, though.


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## Alto (Nov 18, 2008)

Are there any butchers in the town where you'll be living? I'd start by speaking with each individual butcher; also ask around, is there someone (non-commercial) that handles wild game for local hunters or hobby farmers' livestock.


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## Amaruq (Aug 29, 2001)

He needs to find some hunters who will shoot those Venny Storks to drop another leg for him.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

No local butchers that I can find, it's fairly isolated. Yikes! Possibly in the next town over. I'll try there!


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Patti I found 10lb bags of chicken quarters at WalMart for a little of $6. Also they have beef kidney, heart, tongue (I can't bring myself to do that!), oxtail, cheekmeat and liver. That helped get me started and kept me going until I found a bulk dealer.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

Patti, look at the Attleboro phone book - there has to be butcher there for you.


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## ahlamarana (Sep 22, 2008)

If there is a restaurant there, check who their supplier is. The restaurant supplier that I use will deliver to your house if they are in the area anyway.


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

Patti - the shipping costs for anything frozen will kill you. Your best bet is to fins something or someone local.

Check phone books for Meat Processors, Purveyors, Butchers. Ask local restaurants where they get their stuff from and if they would be willing to order a case or two for you (offer them a couple $$$ for their trouble).

Put an ad up at the local vets offices asking is anyone in the area feeds raw.

Put an ad up on Craigslist asking for free frozen meat (freezer burned is ok for dogs).


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

You might be able to check with trainers.I know my new trainer feeds RAW and sells it and delivers if in a reasonable radius.I have no idea what his prices are to know if it is more or less than if you shopped WalMart and meat sales..
Good Luck finding a supplier near you...


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

What is an affordable price for you?

I get the weekly sale flyers from local grocery stores - chicken is always on sale, sometimes as low as .49/lb at one store here.
I can also find pork regularly for .79 to .99/lb, unenhanced whole turkeys for 1.49/lb, and beef I found a few times for .99/lb for an 8 lb pack of 3 types of MM - ground hamburger, rump roast and beef cut up for stew.
I am in NJ not MA, but am just trying to give you an idea of what can be found at a grocery store.

When I started to feed raw, I visited all of the grocery stores within 30-ish minutes of here (I'd say there were 6 or 7) to get an idea of what each had. I went to each a few times, and most never had anything worth buying, but there were two that I always hit the jackpot at...a lot of cheap chicken and pork, one store carries beef kidneys which I didn't expect to find at a grocery store.

Not being able to drive will make it a bit harder but hopefully you can find a decent grocery store that you can get to!


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

Oh almost forgot, if you were planning on getting a new freezer, I would look on Craigslist for the freezer instead of buying one new. 
When I switched to raw, I knew I needed a big freezer so I checked Craigslist daily for people selling freezers.
It took about a week, maybe two...there were some 12-15 cu foot ones people were selling for $100-150, but I either didn't hear back about them or they were sold already. Then one day I found the perfect freezer - it was 18 cu feet and the people were giving it away. I went the next day to get it (it just barely fit in our van) and it's been wonderful!
There is a lot of great stuff on Craigslist, so I would look there for meat as well as for your freezer!


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## balakai (Feb 9, 2005)

> Originally Posted By: Riley's MomI do add a little bit of raw or cooked chix (which mine prefer) and some canned veggies. Tonight I added raw ground beef 93/7.


Wow, 93/7 is really expensive--I buy it for myself, but I buy 80/20 for the dogs occasionally (I usually feed beef heart instead).

~Kristin


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

> Originally Posted By: Riley's MomTonight I added raw ground beef 93/7.


Remember - dogs NEED fat. Don't waste your money on the low fat stuff - just get the cheapest kind you can find (usually the 80/20).


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Yep, Wally World has the cheap stuff on sale for $5.87 for 5lbs. That's a staple for us!


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## JerzeyGSD (Jun 26, 2008)

Heck, I think I even bought 70-30 once from Walmart! Lol.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Jenn, great idea re Attleboro butcher. I'll ask at their town hall tomorrow by phone!

Lauri, it's weird, but the cost of the Dial-a-Ride can be more than shipping. It depends. But you're right, shipping charges are up there.









Walmart really sells cheekmeat and beefheart? If that's affordable, that might be my answer...


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## aubie (Dec 22, 2008)

Patti, it's in small packages about 2-5 lbs each...it's under the brand name Rumba or something. And the beef heart is pre sliced. I think the beef heart runs $2-$3 for 2-5lbs, can't remember. I can look this week when I run up to find some beef kidney.


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

I'd check the local grocery stores and watch their flyers. That's pretty much what I do. Summertime is a good time to find pork ribs and London broil for $1.99/lb. Turkeys go on sale in the winter for pretty cheap (Wal-Mart usually has ones for $0.79/lb).

If you have a Super Wal-Mart, they do stock some of the 'odd meats.' I used to get their beef heart and kidney when Ris and I lived in MT (CT doesn't seem to have Super Wal-Marts). Though, having purchased the grocery store beef heart, I'm not so sure about the Wal-Mart kind.

Shop Rite definitely carries 'odd stuff' like chicken feet, turkey necks, beef/pork kidney, beef liver, beef heart, etc. Stop 'N' Shop does as well. Though some of those items are pricier than one would think! If you have a Costco or BJ's nearby (and are willing to get a membership or know someone who does) they are a good source as well.

I'm sure with some searching you'll be able to find a place to get Grimmi's foodstuffs.


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## Brightelf (Sep 5, 2001)

Thanks for the great ideas-- this is so very helpful! Is a SuperWalmart a Walmart that has a grocery in it?


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## DancingCavy (Feb 19, 2001)

Yes. Regular Wal-Marts just sell goods and some foods. The Super Wal-Marts have a full grocery section as well as the other stuff.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

Check this thread out, you may be able to hook into a group near you when you move, for as little as you'd be feeding they may let you sqeeze in for a much lesser monthly fee(and if you explain your circumstances, you may get it free and delivered!):
http://www.germanshepherds.com/forum/ubb...rue#Post1248154

Freecycle is a good source,too. Pain to join it though, you have to be approved before placing an ad, unlike CL

I posted on Freecycle and had quite a few replies.


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## GSDSunshine (Sep 7, 2009)

Something else to think about, If you can get a freezer. I'm not sure about other grocery stores and you don't have any up there, but I work at publix and the night before a Holiday (Thanksgiving or Christmas) We will try to get rid of the Turkeys that haven't sold. Every gets marked for 5 dollars. So that 25 pound turkey.... 5 bucks. You could check stuff like that.


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