My dog used to try to run away from her green clouds of stench. She'd get this funny look on her face, like: "Who buzzed my butt?" Then she'd get up and move! I love cooked cabbage!
Coffee grounds and chickens
- Thread starter bel
- Start date
We've been doing it for quite some time, meaning years. We put all of our kitchen scraps in the "chicken bucket" including coffee grounds. I haven't seen any ill effects. However, I have learned not to give them potato peelings...
- Feb 26, 2013
- 15
- 0
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Being a coffee drinker, I found the question of the safety and potential benefits of feeding chickens used coffee grounds an interesting question. I'm always interested in lowering my feed cost and thought feeding my used coffee grounds to my chickens might be a better use of them than simply composting.
It makes sense that coffee grounds should have some nutritional value left after the coffee is brewed since coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee plant and brewing extracts very little of their nutrition such as carbohydrates and protein.
I looked for the best scientific information I could find to sort this question out with facts.
THE ANSWER: Not surprisingly is not cut and dry. There are risks and potential benefits so here are the facts.
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF USED COFFEE GROUNDS
11% moisture -- This of course depends on how dry the grounds are
12% ether extracts -- These are fat and fat souluble compounds extracted using ether
11% crude protein
22% starch
2% ash
25% fiber
15% nitrogen fee extracts -- This is everything else. All other components added togeather and . subtracted from 100 (*)
* All components only add up to 98 percent because most numbers were rounded down.
This nutritional information was taken from the book, "Utilization of Coffee by Products in Agriculture, Industry and Animal Feeding". ( check google books)
This composition makes used coffee grounds look like a reasonable supplement to chicken feed when added in limited quantities, but it doesn't take into account the caffeine left remaining in used coffee grounds.
THE CAFFEINE IN COFFEE GROUNDS AND BIRDS
Caffeine is lethal to all mammals (including people, about 10g), birds, reptiles and most insects at the right dose. But, as doctors often say, it is all in the dose.
Smaller animals with high metabolisms are more effected by caffeine than larger animals.
I could not find the lethal does of caffeine in milligrms per kilogram (kg) of body weight for chickens, but for a small bird it is approximately 316 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight. *
*Clinical & Diagnostic Veterinary Toxicology. Gary Osweiler, et Al.
CAFFEINE IN USED COFFEE GROUNDS
The amount of caffeine in used coffee grounds will very depending on factors such as the type of coffee and brewing method. It will generally will be between:
3.6 - 8. milligrams* (mg) of caffeine (C) per gram (g) of used coffee grounds (G). Or 3.6-8mgC/gG
* From caffeineinformer.com
A 3 kg (6.6lb.) chicken would have to consume about 948 mg of caffeine to receive a lethal dose.
Using the higher number of 8mgC/gG :
948mgC divided by 8mgC/gG = 118.5gG for a lethal dose of caffeine for a 3 kg chicken
28g per ounce means this is 4.2 ounces ( oz) of used coffee grounds, or just over a quarter pound.
On the low side, of 3.6mgC/gG for the same size chicken, a lethal dose is 263gG, or 9.4oz ( over half a pound)
CONCLUSION
Whether or not to feed used coffee grounds to chickens is a personal choice based on the risks and benefits. A chicken has to eat a lot of used coffee grounds for them to be lethal, but that said, chickens just barely surviving eating their feed is not going to be good for their health or egg production.
Someone who wishes to feed used coffee grounds to chickens in small quantities probably can without adverse affects and the chickens will receive some nutritional benefit, but the amount should be carefully monitored and kept well below a harmful dose. Keep in mind that according to Nutrena a laying hen should eat about 1.5 lbs of feed per week, or just under 3 1/2 oz per day.
The risks and benefits are a personal choice, hopfully the facts layed out here will help you make an informed decision.
It makes sense that coffee grounds should have some nutritional value left after the coffee is brewed since coffee beans are the seeds of the coffee plant and brewing extracts very little of their nutrition such as carbohydrates and protein.
I looked for the best scientific information I could find to sort this question out with facts.
THE ANSWER: Not surprisingly is not cut and dry. There are risks and potential benefits so here are the facts.
NUTRITIONAL COMPOSITION OF USED COFFEE GROUNDS
11% moisture -- This of course depends on how dry the grounds are
12% ether extracts -- These are fat and fat souluble compounds extracted using ether
11% crude protein
22% starch
2% ash
25% fiber
15% nitrogen fee extracts -- This is everything else. All other components added togeather and . subtracted from 100 (*)
* All components only add up to 98 percent because most numbers were rounded down.
This nutritional information was taken from the book, "Utilization of Coffee by Products in Agriculture, Industry and Animal Feeding". ( check google books)
This composition makes used coffee grounds look like a reasonable supplement to chicken feed when added in limited quantities, but it doesn't take into account the caffeine left remaining in used coffee grounds.
THE CAFFEINE IN COFFEE GROUNDS AND BIRDS
Caffeine is lethal to all mammals (including people, about 10g), birds, reptiles and most insects at the right dose. But, as doctors often say, it is all in the dose.
Smaller animals with high metabolisms are more effected by caffeine than larger animals.
I could not find the lethal does of caffeine in milligrms per kilogram (kg) of body weight for chickens, but for a small bird it is approximately 316 mg of caffeine per kg of body weight. *
*Clinical & Diagnostic Veterinary Toxicology. Gary Osweiler, et Al.
CAFFEINE IN USED COFFEE GROUNDS
The amount of caffeine in used coffee grounds will very depending on factors such as the type of coffee and brewing method. It will generally will be between:
3.6 - 8. milligrams* (mg) of caffeine (C) per gram (g) of used coffee grounds (G). Or 3.6-8mgC/gG
* From caffeineinformer.com
A 3 kg (6.6lb.) chicken would have to consume about 948 mg of caffeine to receive a lethal dose.
Using the higher number of 8mgC/gG :
948mgC divided by 8mgC/gG = 118.5gG for a lethal dose of caffeine for a 3 kg chicken
28g per ounce means this is 4.2 ounces ( oz) of used coffee grounds, or just over a quarter pound.
On the low side, of 3.6mgC/gG for the same size chicken, a lethal dose is 263gG, or 9.4oz ( over half a pound)
CONCLUSION
Whether or not to feed used coffee grounds to chickens is a personal choice based on the risks and benefits. A chicken has to eat a lot of used coffee grounds for them to be lethal, but that said, chickens just barely surviving eating their feed is not going to be good for their health or egg production.
Someone who wishes to feed used coffee grounds to chickens in small quantities probably can without adverse affects and the chickens will receive some nutritional benefit, but the amount should be carefully monitored and kept well below a harmful dose. Keep in mind that according to Nutrena a laying hen should eat about 1.5 lbs of feed per week, or just under 3 1/2 oz per day.
The risks and benefits are a personal choice, hopfully the facts layed out here will help you make an informed decision.
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