Chicken backs and kittens

[Love4himies]

As most of you know I feed my foster kittens a prepared raw diet, supplemented with one feeding of Kitten Wellness canned. One of them was very sick last week, in and out of the hospital and now he won't eat the raw diet anymore. I think he may associate the food with his illness . I fed him some raw beef this weekend, which he loved, so I am thinking about giving him fresh meat so he can continue on the raw diet.

He is currently 14 weeks of age. I have a local butcher that gives away meat scraps and said he would give me some chicken backs. Does anybody know if I can feed him chicken backs at this young of age while he still has his sweet ity bity kitten teeth ?

[growler~GateKeeper]

If he hasn't had raw meaty bones before, the backs and necks are the softest bones, you could start with either one. Chicken necks & backs are recommended as first feeders for kittens, seniors and first time RMB eaters. Cut them into smaller segment chunks but big enough that he still has to chew, possibly halving each bone segment until he is has enough experience with them & is able to chew with ease. Keep an eye on him while he is eating the bones but don't "hover".

[Love4himies]

Thanks growler. DH picked up the chicken backs today at the butcher, they are frozen, so I have to thaw them. Malcolm can smell them and is trying to climb up on the counter, lol.

These two may have had experience with bones before as they were feral and about 5-6 weeks when I captured them. Even though they were sick, they had excellent muscle mass on them so momma must have been keeping them well fed.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Just make sure the bones are fully thawed and it is recommened the pieces be bigger than his mouth so he doesn't try to swallow w/out chewing - though I have cut neck segments in half putting them smaller than Duffy's mouth & she still chews them. *CRUNCH crunch CRUNCH*

[Love4himies]

Well there was crunching going on with the chicken backs . Did they love them. I don't think I am going to buy prepared raw anymore. DH picked up 10 chicken backs with lots of meat on it for $1.08, yes, that's $1.08 I did end up having to cut them very small because Matilda was so excited she was trying to swallow large pieces whole

[Love4himies]

I couldn't believe it: JASPER WANTED SOME CHICKEN BACKS TOO
Mr. I am kibble addict, raw is not food:

[Love4himies]

Even Puddles wanted some chicken. She prefers cooked meat, but wanted a nibble of the chicken:

Sweet Pea just sniffed and walked away. No raw for her , she wants cooked only.

[sugarcatmom]

Fantastic! I so wish my guy would crunch on some bones, but he just licks them to death.

[growler~GateKeeper]

Yay for all of them except Sweet Pea silly grrl

Yeah it's a catch 22 with the size too big & they try to either swallow whole or won't eat it or will chew it, too small & they try to swallow whole or will chew it

If you are raw feeding you will need to supplement the backs w/organs and more muscle meat, just the chicken backs are not enough and will make the bone ratio too high. What I do when Duffy gets chicken - she gets ground raw (everything incl) in the morning & for her dinner she gets chicken necks with a tiny bit of ground.

[Love4himies]

The kittens are still getting their Kitten Wellness canned in the morning and they run around and finish Jasper's Instinct and Sweet Pea's Organics

[Love4himies]

Quick update:

Well those kittens have teeth as sharp as my expensive meat knives . With one bite, they can bite through a piece of meat with or without some bone in it, cutting it so the excess meat falls in the floor. Amazing to watch how well their teeth handle the meat.

Last night they had some raw wild goose (no bone), and just like every other litter of kittens I have had, this is by far their favourite meat. You would think they hadn't eaten for a week when I got that meat out, lol. They wouldn't eat the chicken backs for their final meal of the night. Oh well, didn't hurt them missing their night meal.

They won't really eat Wellness anymore, but will eat Jasper's Instinct, so I think I will not be purchasing anymore of their Kitten Wellness.

[growler~GateKeeper]

they were holding out for the goose again