On Fri, 29 Oct 1999, Susan Carmack wrote:

> Does anyone know what chicken feed contains?
> I purchased some free range chickens locally, and after eating some, I
> became very crampy bloated and experienced restless leg (and arm) syndrome.
> I don't think chickens are very paleo.

It depends on where the chickens are kept, I guess.  I used to
know a farmer who mainly fed his chickens things such as
sunflower and pumpkin seeds, which he could get very cheaply.
The birds are very adept at cracking open the shells.

> Also I get eggs from a man who said he feeds his chickens canola seed!! so
> the eggs will be low cholesterol. I told him I thought canola was
> genetically engineered. Has everyone fallen for this cholesterol myth??
> I am finding it harder and harder to be a carnivore. All the animals eat
> grains and the fish are polluted.

Susan, chickens are supposed to eat grains.  They have sharp
beaks for pecking, which gives them access to seeds (grains) that
have fallen to the ground, as well as bugs, worms, and similar
stuff.  I see no reason why canola seed wouldn't be a reasonable
thing for birds to eat.  Birds in general like to eat seeds of
all kinds, and I'm sure that if they were in an area where
rapeweed grows they would eat whatever seeds they could find.

I think you have the idea that it is un-paleo for *any* animal to
eat grains, or for humans to eat any grain-eating animal.  This
is mistaken.  Grains and other seeds are an important part of the
food chain, and so are the animals that eat them.  Chickens are
paleo, even if they don't agree with you for some reason.

Todd Moody
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