Coffee chaff! I did it!

[Princess Lay-a]

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It's not the grounds, it's the chaff. Chaff is the outside skin of the bean that falls off during roasting. It's very light and fluffy.

 

[SubmarineChick]

I'm going to try to find a source around here for coffee chaff--what a great idea!! What could be more fitting in the Seattle area than a little coffee with our eggs! Thanks for sharing!

 

[Princess Lay-a]

The article says they are using it in the COOP. I'n starting them out with it to see how they like it, how I like it and if it holds any problems for us in the future when we have chicks running around.
But there is no mention of any problems with the eggs changing flavor or scent. Older chickens don't seem to eat heir bedding, like chicks might try. So if it's not ingested I really don't believe it's going to be a problem.

 

[ozark hen]

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Thank you for posting this! I think this is one of the best postings I have seen!! Brilliant! I am hoping to get a response from the roaster I emailed about getting some chaff for my coop floor. Just excited thinking about the coop smelling like coffee...........hope all that caffeine doesn't put the chickens in a dither.

 

[Princess Lay-a]

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Sure thing! Hey wouldn't it be nice for you if Starbucks gave you their chaff and you SOLD

them your eggs (for breakfast sandwiches to go with the coffee..LOL) for a nice symbiotic relationship!

 

[Princess Lay-a]

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Thanks, I do like to find better uses of things that we throw away rather than send it to the landfill. That's why we want to build a straw bales house in the future!

So far I haven't seen any problems, but it's been less than 24 hours. The only thing I would prefer is that it would be heavier, less chance of it flying all over. But right now the brooder is enclosed, the coop will be big enough for it to settle in the floor somewhere else or outdoors. I highly recommended Mother Earth News for ideas for living and helping our animals live a healthier, more self sustained way of life!

 

[mamabigbird]

I wonder if there is still caffeine residue and if it would be harmful. I'm thinking back to the ground cocoa shells for the garden that was making dogs sick. I use left-over coffee grounds in the garden for pest control so wonder about the safety of the chaff?

 

[Princess Lay-a]

Here's another article on it. It talks about both chaff and grounds:

http://www.seattlepi.com/nwgardens/143052_lovejoy09.html

 

[ozark hen]

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Great aritcle. I friend of mine has been using left over coffee grounds in rose beds for over forty years and has show roses. But one thing I just read does concern me??

"When coffee is roasted, the papery chaff is removed and discarded. The lightweight, sand-colored chaff can be mixed into your compost heap or blended into compost for mulching beds and borders. Don't use too much chaff at once, however, or this fluffy stuff can sheet into a sticky mess, repelling water and keeping air out of the soil."

does this mean that my coop floor will get slick? But I would love to have over-roasted beans as a walk way. It would keep all kinds of insects away is what I am betting? I get Mother Earth News and didn't see this article, which issue did you see this in?

 

[xyresicchick]

okay, keep posted on your success with this stuff, cuz now I'M interested!