Can Dogs Eat Raw Chicken? Safety & Feeding Tips

Raw chicken for dogs is loved by some (raw feeders) and hated by others (opponents of raw dog food).

Why is that?

As a raw feeder, I can tell you that cuts of raw chicken are some of the most inexpensive raw meat you can source.

So when money is tight, chicken is the way to go.

At least for a while, and we’ll cover why you shouldn’t feed chicken exclusively in this blog post.

However, those opposed to feeding raw dog food are generally fearful of their dogs getting anywhere near raw meat, particularly raw chicken.

That’s usually because they automatically associate raw chicken with bacteria such as salmonella.

So why is raw chicken safe for dogs?

Because healthy dogs aren’t affected by bacteria such as salmonella.

It’s because their digestive system is very acidic as it’s designed to digest raw meat, including raw chicken.

If you’d like to learn more about the reasons why (healthy) dogs can eat raw dog food no problem, and if you’re curious to find out by how little wolf DNA and dog DNA differs, please check out my blog post:

Related Reading: Simple reasons why dogs can eat raw dog food

That said, there ARE a few caveats as far as how to feed raw chicken to your dog, how NOT to feed it and where to buy it.

I also share an EASY raw dog food recipe with raw chicken that you can make at home!

Raw Chicken for Dogs: How to Feed, Where to Buy & More

Disclaimer: This blog post was originally published in 2023 and has been updated in 2024. It contains affiliate links I may earn compensation through at no additional cost to you. 

Raw Chicken for Dogs: Benefits & Downsides

I already mentioned that chicken is fairly inexpensive to source.

Besides that, it’s a great source of protein, as are all meats in general.

Raw chicken for dogs is also rich in:

• Calcium. Important for healthy bones.
• Glucosamine & chondroitin. Important for joint health.
• Selenium. Important for thyroid metabolism.
• Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Supports the nervous system, cardiovascular health and helps with niacin synthesis.
• Vitamin B3 (niacin). Essential for helping dogs convert macronutrients (fats, carbs and protein) into energy.

Here are the two main downsides of (traditionally) farmed raw chicken for dogs:

(1) Poultry has less nutrients than ruminants

Ruminants such as beef, lamb and goat are generally richer in vitamins and minerals.

That’s why it’s important to rotate your protein sources, regardless of whether you make your own raw dog food or if you buy pre-made raw meals.

Dogs who are only fed separate cuts of chicken will be deficient in nutrients.

So when you’re feeding pre-made meals from raw dog food diet brands, you could feed chicken for one week, followed by beef the week after that, followed by lamb, venison, rabbit, etc.

You get the point.

If you’re making your own raw meals, make sure to include cuts of meat from other proteins as well.

Or, similar to the rotation advice I offered above, prepare and feed raw meals with chicken as the main ingredient (muscle meat) for one week, then feed a batch of raw meals with a different protein source as the main ingredient, etc.

(2) Traditionally farmed chicken is richer in Omega-6 fatty acids than Omega-3 fatty acids.

That’s because soy beans and grains are major components of chicken feed, and both are rich in Omega-6 fatty acids.

The issue with Omega-6s is that they increase inflammation within the body while Omega-3s decrease them.

On the other hand, chickens that are allowed to freely roam pastures and aren’t fed regular chicken feed can chose their own food!

That’s an important difference because that means they’ll eat bugs and grubs, snails, seeds, some grasses etc, and will be less rich in Omega-6s.

Which brings us to the next question.

Can I Feed My Dog Raw Chicken From The Grocery Store?

Yes, you can…but.

For starters, most grocery stores carry the following products/cuts of raw chicken:

• Eggs
• Liver. Secreting organ.
• Wings. Raw meaty bones, 45% bone, 55% muscle meat.
• Thighs. Raw meaty bones, 20% bone, 80% muscle meat.
• Breasts. Muscle meat.
• Drumsticks. Raw meaty bones. 33% bone, 67% muscle meat.
• Leg quarters (you’ll want to remove most of the skin as it’s too fatty). Raw meaty bones, 26% bone, 74% muscle meat.
• Ground chicken meat. Muscle meat.
• Gizzards and hearts. Muscle meat.
• Whole chickens, 30% bone.

Sometimes, you can also find chicken feet/paws at certain grocery stores.

I personally have seen (and bought) them at Walmart before. They’re great for joint health!

Chicken feet. Raw meaty bone, 60% bone, 40% muscle meat.

However, raw chicken from the grocery store is often treated with sodium, so it’s a good idea to give it a good rinse before using it for raw meal prep!

Dogs don’t need all that sodium.

Also, the raw chicken you’ll find at retail/grocery giants such as Walmart, Costco and BJs may not be the most ethically sourced chicken products.

The way chickens are raised, kept and fed is always reflected in their retail price, so that’s something to keep in mind.

As I already mentioned, chickens that are mostly fed grains and soy beans are much higher in Omega-6s than free-range pasture-raised chickens, which are known inflammatories (as opposed to Omega-3s).

Pasture-raised chickens eat a variety of vegetation, insects, grubs and bugs like snails, etc which lower their Omega-6 fatty acid content.

You may find raw cuts of humanely raised chicken that aren’t just corn-, soy- or grain-fed at a local farmer/Farmer’s Market.

Back in NC, I was able to source a few high quality chicken products from a farmer nearby:

For other cuts of raw chicken, you’ll have to browse the selection of online raw dog food retailers.

I’m thinking of chicken necks, backs, heads, rib cages and whole prey chicks.

Where Else to Buy Chicken for Raw Dog Food

Below is my list of online retailers that I’m aware of who carry raw chicken.

Please feel free to leave a comment under this blog post or email me at [email protected] if you’d like to share another source you’re aware of!

(1) Raw Paws Pet Food, Indiana

Raw Paws Pet Food carries individual cuts of chicken as well as chicken completes that are ready to be fed as is:

• Feet
• Liver
• Necks
• Backs
• Hearts
• Gizzards
• Complete Ground Chicken (breast, leg quarters, heart, backs, liver, gizzard)
• Chicken Patties (breast, leg quarters, heart, backs, liver, gizzard)
• Complete Chicken & Vegetable (breast, leg quarters, heart, backs, liver, organic carrots, organic green beans, organic broccoli, organic spinach, gizzard)

All of these meats are sourced from free-range chickens that are raised on a family farm in Indiana.

Tip: You can save 15% with my affiliate discount code K9Savings.

(2) Raw Feeding Miami (RFM), Florida

Raw Feeding Miami also carries individual cuts of chicken as well as chicken grinds that are ready to be fed as is:

Raw Feeding Miami’s chicken is sourced from Joyce Farms, whose chickens are grown on small family farms in North Carolina. They state that they use pasture-raising practices that encourage normal chicken activity such as running, pecking, and scratching.

They are fed corn and soy BUT they’re also given access to the outdoors from 9 a.m. until dusk, so the birds can have their own version of “recess” — running, socializing, or just relaxing and catching some rays.

That means they can also have their pick of vegetation and insects.

Additionally, they’re given music to listen to (usually classical, which seems to soothe them), and toys to play with, like these hanging CDs. Chickens love bright shiny objects.

Tip: You can save 10% on your first RFM order with my referral discount link.

(3) My Pet Carnivore (MPC), Indiana

MPC also carries individual cuts of raw chicken for dogs as well as ground raw chicken that is ready to be fed as is:

Here’s what MPC has to say about their chicken sourcing:

[…]Schoenborn Family Farms exclusively provides these products. MPC uses a variety of breeds & some breeds are gamier in scent than others. Most of our birds are retired egg-laying hens from small farms. […] They are raised in Michigan & Indiana. MPC chicken is all-natural &  without enhancements. Our birds are steroid-free & hormone-free. Antibiotic & denaturant-free. Our meats are never irradiated & therefore better in quality than most.[…]

(4) BJs Raw Pet Food, Pennsylvania

BJs Raw Pet Food also carries individual cuts of chicken as well as a ground chicken blend that is ready to be fed as is:

Here’s what BJs Raw Pet Food says about their animals:

Our meats come from grass fe(e)d animals from local farms that raise animals for BJ’s Raw Pet Food […]

(5) Darwin’s Natural Pet, Washington

Darwin’s Natural Pet offers two different complete recipes featuring chicken, but they don’t offer any individual cuts of raw chicken for DIY raw meal prep:

• Premium Line made with free-range meats & organic vegetables: Natural Selections Chicken (chicken, chicken necks, gizzards, livers, carrots, lettuce, squash {seasonal}, sweet potato, celery, parsley, organic flaxseed oil, cod liver oil, proprietary vitamin and mineral mix)
• Value Line made with conventional meats and vegetables: Biologics Chicken (chicken, chicken necks, gizzards, livers, carrots, lettuce, squash {seasonal}, sweet potato, celery, parsley, flax seed oil, cod liver oil, proprietary vitamin and mineral mix)

(6) North Star Bison, Wisconsin

North Star Bison carries several individual cuts of raw chicken for dogs, as well as a chicken blend:

I couldn’t find any informaiton on what North Star Bison has to say about their chickens.

(7) Grassland Beef, Missouri

Grassland Beef sells mostly individual cuts of meat from pasture-raised chickens:

Here’s what Grassland Beef says about their chickens:

Our pastured poultry are raised on family farms based right here in the United States, where they roam in open pastures pecking insects, worms, grasses, seeds, and whatever else nature intended. Nothing about their lives is rushed or forced, so our chickens, turkeys, and ducks all mature at their natural pace — just as it should be.

(8) RawPetFood4Sale, Florida

RawPetFood4Sale carries individual cuts of raw chicken for dogs as well as prey model chicken blends that are ready to be fed as is:

• Feet
• Livers
• Necks
• Hearts
• Gizzards
• Boneless breast chunks
• Chicken prey model blend (coarse ground USDA certified chicken meat, fine ground chicken bone, gizzard, hearts, liver)
• Chicken, turkey & beef prey model blend (coarse ground USDA certified whole chicken, whole turkey, beef, chicken bone, turkey bone, turkey liver)
• Pork, chicken & turkey prey model blend (coarse ground USDA certified pork , whole chicken,  whole turkey, chicken bone, turkey bone, turkey liver, pork kidney)
• Chicken & turkey prey model blend (coarse ground USDA certified whole chicken, whole turkey, chicken bone, turkey bone, turkey liver)

I couldn’t find any specifics about the way their chickens are raised and/or fed.

(9) Steve’s Real Food, Utah

Steve’s Real Food offers one complete recipe featuring chicken, but they don’t offer any individual cuts of chicken for DIY raw meal prep:

Frozen raw dog food chicken diet:

Ground chicken, ground chicken bone, chicken livers, chicken gizzards, broccoli, carrots, romaine lettuce, cantaloupe, goat’s milk, flaxseed, dried kelp, salmon oil, coconut oil, inulin, taurine, green lipped mussel, ground eggshell).

Here’s what Steve’s Real Food says about their chicken diet:

Steve’s Real Food frozen raw chicken diet for dogs and cats uses free-range, vegetarian-fed chicken.

As of 2023, they also offer a freeze-dried, fermented chicken dog treat called Protein Bites (it’s also available as lamb).

How Do I Prepare Chicken for My Dog?

You can feed your dog the entire bird but without most of the skin as it’s too fatty.

That said, you can cut it up into its different components and then use them in your raw dog food meal prep.

Important note: While you can use many of the different components of a whole chicken for home cooked dog food, you NEVER want to cook any bones and then offer them to your dog.

That’s because cooking changes the bone density.

Raw bones are soft and pliable, while cooked bones are brittle and sharp.

In that state, they can pose a danger to your dog’s insides, so please be aware of that caveat!

The only time when it’s OK to cook bones for your dog is when you’re making a fresh batch of bone broth.

Spoiler alert: You toss the cooked bones once the bone broth is done simmering.

Of course you can also turn raw chickens into your very own chicken grinds with the help of a heavy duty raw meat grinder.

For example, the Weston Butcher Series or the STX Turboforce 2 Platinum.

Remember to give your whole chicken a good rinse if you bought it from your local grocery store.

That’ll get rid of the sodium it’s treated with.

If you’re not sure about the different components that should make it into your pup’s raw meals, please check out:

Related Reading: What does balanced raw dog food consist of?

Can Dogs Eat Raw Chicken Eggs?

Yep!

Eggs are a complete source of protein because they consist of all the building blocks of protein – amino acids.

If they’re organic eggs, you can even feed them with their shell and the membrane.

You can either mix the (organic) egg (and the shell + membrane) in with your pup’s raw dog food or offer it as an in-between snack.

Of course you can also add a cracked raw egg over dog food as a topper and/or to entice a picky eater to eat!

When you go the snack route, try to offer the egg whole! It’s a great mental workout/food puzzle of sorts to watch your pup figure out how to crack it open.

That said, it’s best to offer it outside or somewhere where clean up is easy!

Tip: Quail eggs, duck eggs and goose eggs are great alternatives for chicken eggs.

You can feed your medium to large dog 2 -3 eggs per week. Limit it to one regular size chicken or duck egg per week for your smaller dog, unless you feed raw quail eggs for dogs.

Due to their small size, you can give your small dog 2- 3 quail eggs per week.

Raw Chicken for Dogs Recipe

Here’s what you’ll need for a very easy DIY raw dog food recipe with raw chicken:

*While I like Paradigm because it’s low-carb, you can also use other base mixes for raw dog food. For example:

Use the scoop that’s included in the Paradigm base mix to measure out the amount of Paradigm and water (or bone broth).

Rehydrate the Paradigm base mix with the water or bone broth, and then mix everything together.

Just FYI, the calcium source for this raw dog food recipe is provided by the Paradigm in the form of ground egg shells.

Note: If you’ll read the feeding instructions of the Paradigm base mix, it calls for oil.

But for this raw dog food recipe, you don’t need any oil since you’re adding the sardines, which are an oily fish that’s very rich in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids!

Now, you’ll want to feed about 3 oz daily for every 10 lbs of your dog’s body weight.

Related Reading: Dr. Harvey’s Paradigm Dog Food – How to Feed & Recipe Ideas

Bonus for Non-Raw Feeders: What to Do If Dog Eats Raw Chicken Breasts

If you’re not a raw feeder and you’re reading this to find out what to do if your dog ate/stole raw chicken breasts, don’t worry!

They’ll be fine.

If your pup has a sensitive stomach, they may end up with an upset tummy because kibble and raw dog food digest at different rates (8 hours for kibble vs 4 hours for raw dog food).

To prevent this from happening, you can add a tablespoon of organic apple cider vinegar to your pup’s water dish or mix it in with their cooked or dry dog food. If you don’t have any at home, you can find some at your local grocery store.

That will make it easier for your pup’s stomach to digest the raw chicken breasts.

Related Reading: Can I Feed Kibble and Raw Dog Food Together?

Freeze-Dried & Dehydrated Chicken Options

Freeze-dried & dehydrated chicken is a good alternative to raw chicken for dogs when you’re traveling or when you’re out of fresh raw meals – just keep one in the pantry.

If you’re on the fence about giving raw dog food a try, these freeze-dried or dehydrated chicken options may be a good starting point:

Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Chicken Raw Dinner Patties

Ingredients:

Chicken With Ground Bone, Chicken Liver, Chicken Gizzard, Pumpkin Seed, Organic Cranberries, Organic Spinach, Organic Broccoli, Organic Beets, Organic Carrots, Organic Squash, Organic Blueberries, Fenugreek Seed, Potassium Chloride, Dried Kelp, Sodium Phosphate, Tocopherols (Preservative), Choline Chloride, Dried Pediococcus Acidilactici Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Coagulans Fermentation Product, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Taurine, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid

Raw Paws Pet Food Freeze-Dried Complete Chicken Pet Food

Tip: Save 15% with my affiliate coupon code K9Savings. Only works on the Raw Paws Pet Food website (not on Amazon).

Ingredients:

Ground Chicken with Bone, Chicken Liver, Chicken Heart, Herring Oil, Mixed Tocopherols (preservative), Vitamin E supplement, Zinc amino acid complex, Iron amino acid complex, Copper amino acid complex, Manganese amino acid complex

Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets Chicken Formula

Ingredients:

Chicken, Chicken Necks, Chicken Gizzards, Organic Kale, Organic Carrots, Organic Yams, Chicken Livers, Organic Broccoli, Organic Apples, Cranberries, Blueberries, Organic Pumpkin Seeds, Organic Sunflower Seeds, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Copper Carbonate, Sodium Selenite), Organic Parsley, Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, Salmon Oil, Organic Coconut Oil, Organic Quinoa Sprout Powder, Dried Organic Kelp, Alfalfa, Natural Vitamin E, Mixed Tocopherols (natural preservative)

Vital Essentials Freeze-Dried Chicken Mini Nibs

Ingredients:

Chicken, chicken heart, chicken liver, herring oil, mixed tocopherols (preservative), vitamin E supplement, zinc amino acid complex, iron amino acid complex, copper amino acid complex, manganese amino acid complex

Grandma Lucy’s Freeze-Dried Artisan Chicken Dog Food

Ingredients:

USDA Chicken, Potatoes, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Blueberries, Cranberries, Garlic, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Niacin, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Potassium, Manganese, Chloride, Copper, Magnesium, Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin

The Honest Kitchen Chicken Grain Free Dehydrated Dog Food

Ingredients:

Chicken, organic flaxseed, potatoes, celery, sweet potatoes, apples, organic kelp, honey, pumpkin, green beans, cabbage, bananas, papayas, basil, garlic, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, sodium selenite, thiamine mononitrate

Dr. Harvey’s Specialty Diet Healthy Weight Dehydrated Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

Chicken, Egg, Carrots, Sweet Potato, Oats, Broccoli, Green Beans, Pumpkin, Flaxseed, Cabbage, Chia Seeds, Celery, Kelp, Barley, Tricalcium Phosphate, Apple, Blueberries, Turmeric, Ginger, Green Lipped Mussel, Cinnamon, Dandelion, Fennel, Inulin, Eggshell, Oyster, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Nicotinic Acid, Manganese Proteinate, L-Carnitine, Vitamin A Acetate, Selenium Yeast, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus subtilis, Quercetin, Bromelain, Papain

BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dog Food Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

Chicken With Ground Bone, Chicken Heart, Chicken Liver, Pumpkin, Fenugreek Seed, Coconut Oil, Salmon Oil, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Rosemary Extract

Raw Chicken for Dogs: Bottom Line

So, is raw chicken safe for dogs?

Why yes, it is. You can include it in your dog’s diet.

That includes the following cuts:

• Feet
• Wings
• Necks
• Heads
• Rib cages
• Drumsticks
• Breast meat
• Leg quarters

You can feed your dog the entire chicken, including a few feathers here and there if you have access to them. Those are a great source of manganese.

Don’t feed too many feathers though – I like to picture wolves eating chickens from the inside out.

They’ll eat a few feathers here and there but will leave most of them behind.

If your pup’s teeth are in poor condition, you can feed them raw chicken mince for dogs.

You can either make your own with specific raw meat grinders, or buy it pre-made from a variety of (online) raw dog food retailers.

Remember to never feed your dog cooked chicken bones, or any cooked bones for that matter! Once they’re cooked, they’re no longer pliable but sharp.

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