What parts of the chicken can be eaten and what parts cannot?

[hysop]

In a few months I’ll be processing a good handful of birds.

I personally only eat the meat and use the bones for broth.

But I don’t want to be wasteful with the organs and would like to feed them to my dog. He’s a strictly outside dog so he can eat just about anything. I would of course cook it and cut it up so it wouldn’t resemble chicken parts.

So, what can I feed him? Liver? Gizzard? Heart?

What parts should I throw in the compost like feathers and legs and what parts should I toss/bury?

Thank you!

 

[Wezdin]

He would be fine eating liver, heart, kidneys and gizzard. Might be other parts, but those will be fine. I wouldn't let him eat the guts, though.

 

[hysop]

He would be fine eating liver, heart, kidneys and gizzard. Might be other parts, but those will be fine. I wouldn't let him eat the guts, though.

Thank you.
I was thinking no to the intestines but I read somewhere that someone cleaned them well and cooked them and ate em. I personally won’t be eating those parts, but if others have done it, I would think it’s okay for my dog.

 

[Wezdin]

Thank you.
I was thinking no to the intestines but I read somewhere that someone cleaned them well and cooked them and ate em. I personally won’t be eating those parts, but if others have done it, I would think it’s okay for my dog.

Yeah people use the intestines for sausage casings, kinda gross when you think about it.

 

[BaaKaaawk]

Thank you.
I was thinking no to the intestines but I read somewhere that someone cleaned them well and cooked them and ate em. I personally won’t be eating those parts, but if others have done it, I would think it’s okay for my dog.

 

[hysop]

Yeah people use the intestines for sausage casings, kinda gross when you think about it.

Gross, but okay I guess I’ll check and see if my dog ends up liking them.

So I guess my list is

liver, heart, intestines, kidneys, gizzard

That answers my question. Thank you.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Since your dog cannot see inside a chicken to look at the organs and a chicken smells different from the outside than it does from the inside I don't see any real benefit to cooking the organs. You can cook if you wish but as far as I'm concerned that's just extra unnecessary work.

My list is a bit different from yours. I use the gizzard, heart, and feet in my broth, along with the neck, back, and bones left over when I cook the meat part for myself. Nothing wrong with feeding the organs and feet to your dog as long as you don't cook the feet. Cooking is what makes the bones brittle and dangerous to feed to your dog. If your dog is anything like mine it eats raw rabbits, rats, small birds, whatever it can catch, raw bones and all.

 

[hysop]

Since your dog cannot see inside a chicken to look at the organs and a chicken smells different from the outside than it does from the inside I don't see any real benefit to cooking the organs. You can cook if you wish but as far as I'm concerned that's just extra unnecessary work.

My list is a bit different from yours. I use the gizzard, heart, and feet in my broth, along with the neck, back, and bones left over when I cook the meat part for myself. Nothing wrong with feeding the organs and feet to your dog as long as you don't cook the feet. Cooking is what makes the bones brittle and dangerous to feed to your dog. If your dog is anything like mine it eats raw rabbits, rats, small birds, whatever it can catch, raw bones and all.

Yes, my dog will eat all that. It was sad to see him eating a poor wild rabbit. It had become a familiar sight to me.

But okay yeah if I don’t have to cook the organs I’ll be happy to just give it to them like that. About the gizzards, do I have to open them or he can do that himself?

Thank you

 

[Ridgerunner]

Personally I'd open the gizzard. Mine would eat it but it has a lot of small rocks in it. If a fox or coyote got your chicken it would eat the gizzard, rocks and all. I doubt it would hurt your dog. But it just doesn't feel right to me.

 

[hysop]

Personally I'd open the gizzard. Mine would eat it but it has a lot of small rocks in it. If a fox or coyote got your chicken it would eat the gizzard, rocks and all. I doubt it would hurt your dog. But it just doesn't feel right to me.

I shall open it then. I didn’t realize how much of the chicken can be eaten. Wish I had done my research before. We’ve culled a total of 4 birds in the past couple of months, so that’s a lot of organs the dog could have eaten for nutrients. But I’m glad I know now.