GMO This, Canola That – A Chicken Food Rant
22January 5, 2013 by Mike Oscar Hotel
I’m going to preface this article with a disclaimer. This is what I believe. You don’t have to believe it. I encourage you to think for yourself at all times. You can find a lot of information on the internet. I’m sure that someone out there thinks that Yogi Bear is the devil. Doesn’t mean it’s real. With the research that the Mrs. and I have done, this is our conclusion. Furthermore, I’m going to keep this article as basic as possible. It’s a large concept and I could use really verbose adjectives that none of us will understand to explain it. Fortunately for you, dear reader, I’m not into outfoxing anyone with fancy words. And I’m kind of lazy.
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I’ve mentioned in previous posts that we are picky about what we feed our chickens. In the beginning, we were buying organic food from local feed stores. We were happy with the feed for a few months until one day we looked at the label. Worse than looking at the label is understanding what the label says.
This particular label said that the feed contained canola oil.
Really?
Canola oil – a man made oil concocted from rapeseed, which is a genetically modified organism? How can that be organic? Right, because somebody greased somebody else’s palm with a few green backs. There are lots of arguments on how canola oil is good for you. In my opinion, we haven’t had enough time to know what the longterm effects of canola use are or will be.
However, here’s a little light reading:
In contrast, there’s lots of articles on the internet that support the use of canola oil.
This is the feed that my nephew has been giving his chickens. It is cheap and full of GMO corn. It looks like brown sugar and wheat with pop corn kernels mixed in with it.
This is what we feed our chickens. It is organic, non GMO, non soy grains.
Remember when eggs were bad for you? Then they were good for you? Then they were bad again, etc.? Same with bacon. Bacon is bad! It’s the devil! No, bacon is actually good for you. Is it, really? Margarine is good for you! No, it’s one molecule away from being plastic. Waitaminute – didn’t someone disprove that?
The above paragraph summarizes one speck of dust in the gargantuan filthy rumor mill of the nightly news. What is the right answer? I.don’t.know. I go with my gut (literally). If I have to choose between canola and olive oil, I’m going to pick olive oil every time. I know what an olive is. Canola is a made up word.
Moving on. Let’s talk about corn. Corn is in many different feeds as well.
I’m going to keep this as simple as possible without ranting or blaming.
- GMO (genetically modified organism), specifically, corn.
GMO corn was designed by someone (or several someones, as the case may be) in a lab. As the name suggests, the corn was genetically modified to kill small organisms, such as bugs, that eat said corn. What happens? When the bugs eat GMO corn, their stomachs E-X-P-L-O-D-E. Yup, those tiny critters chew on a few kernels and…..PFBBBBBTTTHHTTTT. It’s like the movie Alien inside an insect and on a piece of corn instead of a space ship. I know you’re still reading. Live long and prosper, says Spock.
That’s great, right? We don’t want bugs in our corn. Sure. Sounds great on screen and paper. At what price? If bugs eat GMO corn and their stomachs explode, what will it do to me if I eat six pounds of corn?
Probably nothing. But we don’t know. Furthermore, if my chicken eats GMO food, will they pass whatever nastiness that was in that corn onto me? Scientists say no. But remember, those scientists are funded by…….who knows? Probably corporations that have a lot of money. Like the ones that invented GMO corn. I’ve heard people passionately refute the fact that GMO harm could pass from an animal that consumes it to a human that eats the animal. Those people, much like me, choose one or two testimonies from a scientist or scientific group and, because it makes sense to them, they believe it to be truth. See how I admitted my own short comings in that last sentence? I don’t debate with them. I just remember one thing – 550 years ago, scientists KNEW that the world was flat. I know what you’re thinking. We’re in the most scientifically advanced society that has ever existed. Guess what? So were they! We are not God. We do not know all based upon science. In 550 years, if we’re still here, our descendants will likely look upon us as though we were nincompoops, scientifically. To think that we know the end result to a reasonably new experiment is very, very dangerous.
Almost every family that I know has one or more people that are sick with something and taking medication. Why? Could it be our food? Could it be the fact that we are pushing nature beyond its boundaries?
We are not God. We need to stop messing with His design. Even if you don’t believe in God, you can at least admit that things have worked quite well in a natural state for very many years. Then, we, the ants came marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.
Pax Domini Sit Semper Vobiscum,
Mike Oscar Hotel
Judging from the pictures, I wouldn’t even want to hold the first feed in my hand. At least the bottom one looks like food and looks like what we feed our chickens. The top one looks like brown polystyrene. I’ve never seen that type of feed before, but my reaction to make a face and and edge back a bit from the computer screen. I can definitely see why you are waiting a whole month to eat the eggs from those chickens.
It really is nasty. I tell my nephew that it is like feeding them McDonald’s every day. It doesn’t even smell good. The stuff that we feed we pick up in Boulder. Hippies are useful for a few things, believe it or not – and they do know good chicken food. I’m going to start pushing some apple cider vinegar as well.
I believe it. We have a totally granola side of town here (started with the hippie college years ago and has just grown from there) and a huge back to the land sustainable farming movement in my county and the next one over. Gives us tons of options for finding food for ourselves and the birds that won’t kill us.
True story. They know what they’re talking about when it comes to food. I never wanted to live ear a major metro area, but it certainly opens up options when you want something good at a good price.
This post made me really want to watch Alien.
I know that wasn’t the point.
I’ve yet to raise chickens, but I was raised by an aunt who kept them. She fed them them what looked like the former brown pellets… minus the semi-natural-looking corn-kernel pieces. Just brown pellets that had the smell and heft of cardboard.
For a woman who had a gaggle of children, a green thumb, (for ornamentals and neglected herbs only,) an old farmhouse and a decent chunk of land, she was not a huge fan of green things. We suffered her awful, carb-loaded cooking, and so did her chickens. They received that feed and it was supplemented with… pasta. I kid you not. Brown pellets and pasta, and nothing, NOTHING else.
Her chickens won awards at the State and County fairs. I was always flabbergasted by that.
Needless to say, I’d eat her eggs and chickens in a heartbeat over what could be purchased at the market. This is not to argue your point. Organic labeling should be one thousand times more stringent, even in the cases of animal feed… and my aunt should be subpoenaed for the food she serves.
What is it with that generation not liking vegetables (unless they’re pickled or candied)? Around my grandparents’ farm, they grew a lot of root vegetables, but hardly ate any fresh – they all had to be canned, which ruled out……LETTUCE. Nobody in our family ate lettuce. I found out how great lettuce was when I finally tasted it at 16. To this day I have friends who get the burger, toss the lettuce onion and tomato and just add mayo. Just beef and carbs. I always thought my family’s lack was an English/Irish/Scottish thing.
Your state-fair winning chickens actually remind me of a woman that I know in her late 50′s. All of the older guys I know talk about what a head-turner she was in her 20′s and 30′s. She has eaten McDonald’s at least one meal a day for the last 30 years. When she hit 45, things went down hill…….FAST.
With corn I don’t think there is much we can do about the GMO part, as from what I have read there isn’t much natural corn seed left out there…some in Mexico I heard…the feed you give your chicks seems much more natural looking than that other stuff…and as far as passing it on, wasn’t that WHY all those cows with mad cow disease were slaughtered???…just saying!!!
You’re right, Rick. From my understanding, the GMO corn cross pollinates with the non-GMO corn and now, there’s barely any left. This guy has some.
Amen brother on GMO’s. I’m converting the family to whole all natural foods and getting rid of everything I should have a long long time ago. I can my food, so dont be doggin on canning lol
We eat a lot of fresh out of the garden during the summer but I’m not going to buy things at the grocery store during winter. We also dehydrate lettuce so I can put it in soups all winter. I love lettuce. I cant imagine not eating it. My grandma and grandpa ate everything fried and lots and lots of candy, cakes, and cookies. I’m sure my great great grandma didnt though. What sucks out here is I cannot find anything GMO free for feed for my chickens. We are looking at another property so that they can be free range and give up feed totally.
Free ranging – a dream of mine that will likely stay a dream. We simply have too many predators. I hope you folks do find the land you’re looking for. It’s hard to find good land at good prices these days.
I’ve never heard of dehydrating lettuce, but it’s about all that grows here – guess I need to try it!
Are you anywhere near a metro area? Look for hippies – they’ll lead you to the non-GMO food!
No we are not near a metro area. I have found non GMO stuff for us to eat, but it will cost too much to get it for the chickens. I will continue my search. My plan is to let them free range during the day and lock them up at night. I dehydrate lettuce, spinach, kale, chard and then smash it up and place it in jars. Then I add it to soups all during the winter. I also add it to stock I make too. It’s a good way to keep eating it all year round and it’s a great way to sneak in greens for the kids to eat.
Have you considered a chicken tractor? ;3
Have. The problem is that the land we do have is covered in rocks, hence the “Rocky Mountain” moniker! There is a small field beside us – thinking about trying rabbit and chicken tractors this summer – have to get my neighbor’s permission.
I saw you mention boulder, can you point me to the right place to get chicken feed there? I am in Commerce City and while chickens are still very illegal, I am ready to blow this joint and get my chickens.
Absolutely. Send me and email and I’ll give you directions. Tinyhomesteaders@gmail.com.
I guess I have to say that this post made me sad. To blame someone for an illness because of the food they eat is ummm…..a bit upsetting. Are there thousands of people who eat at McDonalds three times a day, weigh 659 lbs, and have diabetes? Yes. But there are decent people who eat decent food and still get sick or having health issues? Yep. Hard to believe. I know.
I don’t blame people for the food they eat. What I dislike is that companies put things in our food that could make us sick. Then, they tell us that it is good for us. I’ve seen it in my own family and seen it in myself. All I’m try to say is that we take a hard look at what we eat to try and keep ourselves healthy. I’m sorry that I offended you.
I’m sorry too. And I do apologize. I’m disabled and I guess I took it the wrong way.
Friends?
I understand where you’re coming from, believe me. Friends!
Okay. Cool. Friends. Btw…do you follow a blog on WordPress called “Rise and Shine Rabbitry”? They have good info and photos. Here’s the link: http://riseandshinerabbitry.com/2013/01/06/fostering-kits/
I subscribed to them on facebook, but I didn’t know that they had a web page. They’re in Maine, right? I think, like Norway area or something? Do you know them?
I think they may be from Mechanic Falls but don’t quote me. No, I don’t know them. I wish he would have an ” open house day” at his rabbitry.