At 01:57 PM 4/30/01 -0400, Deborah Birkett wrote:
>http://ca.news.yahoo.com/010430/5/4m4e.html
>
>I must admit, I'm not entirely clear on what chickens would eat left to
>their own devices. Are they naturally grain-eaters? I assume they naturally
>tend to eat only plant-based foods. (I know there's a woman on this list--
>Laurie?-- who raises chickens, so I'm sure she'll know if no one else
>does.)
>

The only chickens I've known personally were grain and scraps fed, actually...

However, I have noticed that ground feeding birds in general are scavengers
of a sort.  They eat bugs, seeds, sprouts, and just about anything that
looks good.  Most don't eat much in the way of grains, except as seeds
found on the ground.

Many birds also eat eggs.  I suspect your average bird is omnivorous, by
nature.

Dianne