Best chicken for raw diet?

manuel

manuel

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I went grocery shopping and couldn't find Hoshi's usual chicken so I bought Tyson's chicken thighs. They were so fatty! Also, Tyson has to feed their chicken steroids because the thigh and bone are so huge. I grew up on a farm and our chickens were no where near that size (Rhode Island Reds and leghorns). Anyways, the meat didn't look as nice as Hoshi's usual brand. It was fatty, tough, and pale. Tyson claims not to use antibiotics but doctor Becker says that's not true. They found a loop hole to use that claim. I don't want to feed Hoshi antibiotics or steroids.

I usually buy Hoshi Katie's Best or Amish Country. The bird is smaller with healthy pink lean meat. I'm having difficulty finding their whole thighs lately. They've been selling boneless thighs :( I might have to shop farther away to find a store that sells it. Has anyone bought organic chicken? Where did you find it?
 
Manuel talk to the meat department, ask them to special order it for you.
 
I bet they will especially since they still carry the boneless.
 
I mostly feed necks and backs. I dont like how hard those leg bones are! just be prepared that when they special order, it often comes in 40lb boxes. I think I get mountain aire - I get it from a wholesaler and it comes in 40bl boxes. I usually get 3 boxes at a time and separate and freeze.

If you order in quantity, also ask if its fresh or frozen. When I buy turkey necks, it comes in a 30lb frozen brick. Its a royal PIA to thaw it enough to separate it and then cut it and package it w/o it being completely defrosted.

Asian markets often have more variety than your garden variety store.
 
I'd like to try chicken and turkey necks but Meijer and Kroger don't carry them. They sound easy to prepare since the bones are so small. I bet they would grind up nicely and it would save me a lot of preparation time. I sometimes use chicken drum sticks but the bone is much harder to cut and grind up. I accidently bought turkey wings once. The bones were huge and a devil to cut up.
 
Manuel, the reason the legs are so huge on your store bought chickens is because of the variety of chickens they use. It's a cross breed, and is a carefully guarded secret as to what the cross is. You can buy the young birds and raise them yourself, but if you don't butcher them by around 16 weeks, the birds will normally start to die since it puts so much strain on the heart.
 
do you have publix near you? some of them carry backs - when I'm in FL, I bring enough for most of the trip and then just go to the store where they have them.

or see what the meat dept can order for you. are you on any raw food groups in your area? there used to be a bunch of them on yahoolists. You could see what you can find in your area and if the lists arent active look in the archives.

I dont grind anymore, but when I used to the necks were super easy to jsut drop into the chute. Hen turkey necks were also fairly easy to stuff into the chute and push through. Toms had to be trimmed a bit. Backs could be squished in most of the time. But I also have a huge grinder - 3/4 hp with a large chute. I upgraded when I had my doberman and was grinding for 4 dogs. huge expense at the time but totally worth it. Still works ;)
 
Cockers4Ever said:
do you have publix near you? some of them carry backs - when I'm in FL, I bring enough for most of the trip and then just go to the store where they have them.
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No but I'll try Whole Foods next time. I tried Aldi today. Someone said they had organic food. They did have a whole Never Any! chicken. I've never quartered a chicken before. Aldi has really changed. They take credit cards and Apple Pay now. Thanks for the yahoolist suggestion.
 
Manuel speaking of yahoo lists, I think there are groups on FB also. One of my friends who just changed over to raw belongs to one that she found on FB that is local to her, they go in together and buy in bulk.
 
Just an update. Whole Foods has organic chicken thighs now. Hoshi likes it. The brand is Pine Manor.

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