I have a chicken farm and I occasionally give my pair of Rotties raw chicken meat. Is this good or bad.?

Question

The chickens are kept in Tunnel houses so are safe from the dogs, The chickens I give to them are culls (slow growers) but are otherwise healthy. As a matter of fact I sometimes give em some dampened chicken feed...they seem to love this (mostly made from corn and soya beans). My dog are real muscular but not overweight.

Answer 1

This is a long answer, but please stay with me for just a few minutes....

I've got a couple of big dogs. I feed them dog food. However, sometimes, they catch stuff that dares to come into the yard.
I like pretty much all animals (and some of them I like on the barbecue), but there's not alot I can do if they attack a small animal while I'm at work.
In the last 3 years, they've done in over a dozen or so rats, a crow, a squirrel, a rabbit, several moles, some toads, and several opossums.

They are fine.

Here's a thought: What do dingos eat? Wolves? Coyotes? Jackals? Foxes? and Hyenas? Bottom line, they eat what they can catch, or find. None of it is cooked, and alot of it has small bones. Some of it is rotten and has been laying in the grass for awhile. Gross, yes, but very true. (it's natures way!)

I personally won't let my dogs eat something with small bones because it's not worth the risk of choking, if I'm there to stop them. Their throats are built differently than ours, so it's less of a problem, or you'd see the landscape of the wilderness littered with the dead bodies of wild canines that have choked to death, but it's still a risk, especially if it's not something they are used to.

If they've got their shots, and are taking heartworm and other parasite medicine, like sentinal, and you aren't giving them bones in the chicken meat, and it's fresh, I can't think of any reason it would be a bad thing.

I'm not a biologist, or a vet, but common sense would make me wonder how it could ever be a bad thing for a dog to eat fresh raw healthy meat. They are carnivorous animals.

Also, along the lines of common sense, if your dogs enjoy the chicken, and figure out, through catching one, or finding a dead one, where you are getting that meat, you are going to find yourself with 2 chicken killing dogs, on a farm full of chickens. Maybe you've got them wired off pretty good. I don't know, but that would be one risk I can think of.

- Kevin

Answer 2

The only concerns over bones and salmonella or other diseases really count. Raw meat is quite good for dogs otherwise. If they have no problems dealing with the bones I would not worry, but COOKED chicken bones can splinter and cut them in their mouths, and guts.

Other comments about chicken bones:
http://webhome.idirect.com/~mamosa/Barf%20info.htm
But aren't chicken bones dangerous?!!! This is one of the biggest myths of all time! Raw chicken bones are fantastic for your dog. They are soft enough so that they bend easily, and break well for the dog to digest.

On the other hand, cooked chicken bones can be a problem, and I recommend that you DON'T feed COOKED chicken bones.

So could a raw chicken bone kill a dog? Well I guess that anything is possible. Certainly scientifically you can't prove a negative argument. However what we do know is that dogs have died from inhaling kibble the wrong way and choking and suffocating to death.

Feeding your dog is about management of risk. No matter which path you decide to take there is always risk. There is always someone who will criticise your decision. However you, and only you can decide what is best for your dogs. Weigh up all the benefits and risks. Do your own analysis. Do your research. Do what will have the greatest overall benefit for your dog.

Answer 3

You have some really good answers here already, but I just feel the need to add that RAW chicken bones will not splinter and cause the dogs problems. The problem with ANY bones being consumed by your dogs comes only after the bones have been cooked. You have some lucky dogs!

Answer 4

Go here to see what parts are best to feed them. It won't hurt them at all. How are they around the chickens though?
Here's a site to check out:
http://www.rawdogranch.com
A partial raw diet is actually healthy as long as you know the meat source is healthy chicken. Don't throw them any chickens with the feathers on that haven't been cleaned though! Not with them being on a chicken farm.

Answer 5

I feed my two labs raw uncooked chicken thighs - bone in with Urban Wolf veggie mix. Its fine as in they can ha ndle uncooked meat. What may not be fine is that they may be getting to much protein if you are also feeding kibble. Now if its occassional like every few weeks, probably not a big deal. Especially if they are not pups. My dogs also like turkey necks too. I would avoid the weight bearing bones (legs) as they can be hard on their teeth.

Answer 6

Raw meat is really good for any dog. I have a rottie and I give him raw eggs all the time. Look up the BARF diet, all they feed is raw. It is natural for dogs to eat raw food. The bones wont hurt them either unless they are cooked.

Answer 7

Gee people raw food dose not cause dogs to attack, people do. Dog are just wolfs they can eat raw meat. I worked for a vet that fed his own dogs on raw meat. There are a lot of health problems that can be helped by feeding your dog raw meat.

Answer 8

Good as far as health goes. If it's fresh meat, it's very good for them, and if you have enough they could eat it for a large portion of their meals. There are a whole lot of people who feed their dogs raw meat and it can be very healthy.

However, make sure they don't kill the chickens themselves, of course- that's the last thing you need in your business!

Answer 9

How many chickens do you have left?

Answer 10

I would say bad, for your chickens.