# whole feathered chicken OK to feed?



## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

I am thinking for my next pup to start raising chickens myself for his raw diet. I don't like the butchering so is it OK to kill the chicken and give it to the dog (once adult teeth are in), feathers and all? That seems like a complete diet.
I will not go as far as a friend of mine in the past. She would call her dogs, let out one of the chickens for them and the dogs killed it instantly and ate it.


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## phgsd (Jun 6, 2004)

I would at least pluck the chickens before giving them to the dog. If I'm giving whole chickens I'll also gut them to be safe. There can be some nasty bacteria in the chicken gut.

Some dogs might pluck the chickens as they eat them but others might just eat them feathers and all, I would be concerned about an impaction.


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## Freestep (May 1, 2011)

My GSD wouldn't eat them, but whenever I'd find a chicken that went belly-up for whatever reason, I would just hand it to my Akbash dog and he would eat the whole thing... feathers and all. Never did him any harm.


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## LockMan (Nov 10, 2013)

Freestep said:


> My GSD wouldn't eat them, but whenever I'd find a chicken that went belly-up for whatever reason, I would just hand it to my Akbash dog and he would eat the whole thing... feathers and all. Never did him any harm.


Musta had some interesting poops! :shocked:

Here is what you need if you are really going to eat a lot of chicken:


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## LockMan (Nov 10, 2013)

*More on Chicken-Plucking*

I was thinking of raising some chickens for eggs and meat, therefore the interest.

The real trick is to scald the chicken at 147 degrees first and then pitch them in the plucker. 


Kit form:

Chicken Plucking DIY Kit Whizbang Plucker No Barrel 16" Pulley | eBay

Pro version (long. has more explanation.):


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

I would think that is way too many feathers.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Wow, impressive. Thanks, something to consider.


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## LuvWorkingGSDs (Aug 24, 2008)

I think it depends on what age you are feeding the chicken. I've given whole chickens to my dogs and they eat it up feathers and all. I never saw 'evidence' in their stool. 

However, these weren't fully mature chickens. They were generally meat or dual-purpose chickens that I raised to around 12 weeks. They aren't fully feathered and the quality of the feathers is....well more digestible. 

The chickens that I grow out to maturity for eggs or breeding aren't given to the dogs without being plucked. Those feathers are a little too much for them to handle. That's about the extent of their preparation for the dogs though. I raise my own pastured chickens that aren't kept in the type of conditions that support undesirable bacterial/parasite growth, so I have no qualms about giving them whole to the dogs.


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## wolfy dog (Aug 1, 2012)

Reviving this thread: I found a resource that is willing to sell me fresh whole plucked (quartered) chickens. They are two year old layer hens. They live(d) in a large pen with what looks as almost too many for that area. Is it safe to feed the guts as well? They all appear to be healthy and are not pecking each other. other question: are the larger leg bones safe to feed as they are mature hens.


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## Jimmyfalcon (Nov 19, 2020)

phgsd said:


> I would at least pluck the chickens before giving them to the dog. If I'm giving whole chickens I'll also gut them to be safe. There can be some nasty bacteria in the chicken gut.
> 
> Some dogs might pluck the chickens as they eat them but others might just eat them feathers and all, I would be concerned about an impaction.


Can't we feed them guts? Or should we boil it?


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## Sunsilver (Apr 8, 2014)

When I was growing up, dog owners were told to NEVER EVER give their dogs chicken bones! The bones are hollow inside, and that makes it easy for them to puncture the gut. The birds raised commercially are slaughtered at such a young age that you don't have to worry as the bones are still quite soft. But a mature 2 year old bird - nope, NO WAY!

We nearly lost our cat when its gut was punctured by a bone from a bird it caught and ate. 

Try an experiment: cut the end off a chicken leg bone, and drive it into a piece of fruit or a potato. It will penetrate quite deeply.


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## Bramble (Oct 23, 2011)

Jimmyfalcon said:


> Can't we feed them guts? Or should we boil it?


I normally do not feed the intestines. Nutritionally there is not much to them so not worth the process of cleaning them out prior to feeding. Other organs are fine in moderation, too much can give some dogs diarrhea. Wild game should be frozen for at least three weeks. Meat purchased in the store is usually fine since it is meant for human consumption and raised under certain regulations.


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## richardgballard36 (Mar 3, 2021)

Thanks, I found a solution to my problem in this discussion!)


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