Crock Pot Chicken??

I don't add any seasonings.  My guys are thrilled with anything that comes out of the crock pot, so seasonings, for them, are pretty pointless.

I usually crock pot the whole chicken & it usually takes about 24 hours for the bones to become mushy.  I eyeball the amount of water that I add.  If, during the cooking process, I decide that I want it more liquid-y, I just add more water.  I add veggies about 2 hours before the chicken is done.  I run everything through the food processor after it cools a bit, so it's more of a flavorful gruel that can be used as a topper or kong/marrow bone stuffer.

 I put it all in at the same time, no seasoning, and fill the crock pot with water. I mash it up, at the end, throw in a few cloves of garlic, and usually add more water.

I forgot to ask what temp you cook on - low or high?? Do you leave it at this setting for the entire time?? The only thing I ever do is a roast in the crock pot, so I'm a bit of a crock pot virgin...... :)

Careful with the poultry seasonings, make sure there is no onion powder in there. That's toxic to dogs.I tend to have to add water throughout. You want the veggies very mushy ... dogs can't break down the cell walls otherwise and get no benefit from they (go right through :)). So either add at the beginning or puree and add near the end. I use a combo of whatever veggies i hav on hand, like carrots, spinach, peas, green beans, squash, pumkpin, zucchini, etc. Sometimes I throw in some eggs from the chickens and they wind up with "poached eggs" in the stew. To thicken, I add some rice, egg noodles, or sweet potato, they break down entirely by the end.

Alright, I've been thinking about this all day and just wondering if there are any worries at all with respect to small hardened bones that might be left.  Maybe I'm just being paranoid but should the finished product be checked or is it actually like mushhhh when it's done?  I just really really LOVE this idea and wanna give it a try but am just a little worried.

Help me with my worries.

Johnny & Tessy

 

Yes, totally check what is in the crockpot to make sure it is done. I have had it take varied times. Take the largest bone out, put it on a plate and press with your finger or a spoon. If it does not crumble at the thickest part, the stew is not done nor safe to ingest. Make sure they are not splintering. What I do when impatient, is cook the chicken parts for 8+ hours on low with all other ingredients, then carefully remove chicken parts with a ladle not letting them fall apart (so as not to loose a bone) and put them on a plate, I them carefully remove all bones, mash up and transfer back to pot. The ends of teh bones will get soft before the rest and you'll likely have to stir/add water at least twice so you don't get a hard, burned coating on the crockpot since they'll be in there so long. Oh, and I do it on low when I want the bones to get soft ... high burns off too much water too quick. I do high sometimes when removing bones myself.

PS - I often buy chicken hearts/lungs/livers to add to this.

PPS - crockpotting for the dogs is addictive... need to go put on a batch. I feel guilty when we run out now!

I have been making this for my dogs for several years.  Now I only have HOney left, having lost KayCee to cancer in May 2008 and Buck to heart attack in May 2007.

I( always use sweet potatoes and apples, but change up other veggies.  Last time , two weeks ago I use a frozen bag of spinach leaves.  I hae used broccoli, green gbeans, mixed veggies.  I freeze containers for 5 meals (1/2 cup per meal) and Honey gets it for 5 nights with her Taste of the Wild kibblew, and then for the next 3 nights she gets canned mackeral or salmon.  Then it is back to her chicken stew.

OI always add organ meat, usually chicken gizzards cut up, but sometimes beef liver cut up. I hAE ALSO USED HEART (BEEF), BUT CAN'T GET IT OFTEN.  oH, ANY BONS TYHST ARE NOT CRUMBLY--TOSS IN TRASH.

 

jennie_c_d

 I put it all in at the same time, no seasoning, and fill the crock pot with water. I mash it up, at the end, throw in a few cloves of garlic, and usually add more water.

 

I could be wrong, but I could've sworn I've heard garlic is bad for dogs. 

Nope, it's great, some even use it for natural flea and tick control. It is in the Alium family, related to onions, but onions are toxic to dogs ... garlic is ok. If you are unsure, always run these things by your vet before using them, never take our word for it on the internet :)!

Yep, mine get usually 1 clove of garlic per crockpot-full, LOL. If anything it's a little 'flavor'.

Have you guys ever tried turkey bones? I was thinking about trying it, but I think turkey bones would take foreeeeeever.

 Oh okay. Hm, I knew about onion, thought it was garlic as well. :P

I also thought garlic was a no no.  Especially for a dog with AIHA. 

I'm so confused now.....   :(

 AIHA is a totally different ballgame, LOL. My dogs are basically HEALTHY compared to yours (though they're not healthy). That's something Callie would know, but I (thankfully!) haven't dealt with auto immune disorders.

Garlic is GREAT for them, but it CAN mimic the effects of onions, if you were to say, feed them whole meals of garlic and only garlic. A couple of cloves in a crock pot of food (that lasts my three dogs a week) doesn't hurt at all, and is healthy. 

Besides, who could eat hummus if it wasn't chock full of garlic? We certainly wouldn't!