Update on GROUNDS Coffee Ground Bedding for your coop!

[NatJ]

I thought husks were green and through them in my garden to avoid the compost!

I was assuming they would be like grass clippings--green or brown depending on fresh vs. dry. I haven't actually looked them up, though.

 

[IdyllwildAcres]

I am confused as to why the need to dry out the grounds? I need to add moisture to my coop, deep litter method on a dirt floor, my coop is my compost pile. I always just dump my grounds in the "chicken bowl" which collects kitchen scraps and gets dumped in the coop everyday. After reading this I asked my neighbor who owns a coffee shop and she said I could have the grounds if I want them. 10-20 pounds a day. I will get my first load tomorrow and start adding it to the coop.

 

[audy5000g]

I havent noticed any difference with the eggs but I dont have coffee grounds in the nesting boxes. Only on the poop board. My babies have lighter feet and I havent noticed any discoloration but again, I only use them on the poop boards.

What’s a poop board?

 

[JNC]

wouldn't coffee grounds be bad for them if they eat it?

that’s what i’m wondering too. Can anyone further explain on how this works?

 

[audy5000g]

I have never heard of this ever. Wow

 

[JNC]

UPDATE: They had told me to call before I arrive so they can have it ready to load in my car but when I went at lunch the line was busy each time I called. I had called several times during a 20 minute period but my lunch was over so I was going to try again when I left for work.


Coffee grounds won't harm chickens. I actually dropped a full feed bucket the other day right on the grounds. I picked up what wasn't touching the grounds but obviously a ton got left behind. I was amazed to watch the accuracy of the chickens picking crumble out of the coffee and it appeared they didn’t eat any of the grounds.

The coffee is used so even if soaked in water the discoloring of the water would be minimal as would the caffeine content. The dry grounds wouldn't stain their feet at all. Because the chickens don't consume the coffee, there is no impact on egg flavor.


When I dry my own I literally dump them on a plate on my kitchen, give them a little stir that evening, and by the next day they are dry. I imagine in the sun, spread in a single layer and stirred once or twice during the day, they would dry very quickly. I can't speak for how winter will work but up until December and starting in March there is usually a decently sunny and warm day. I would probably try to dry a bunch and store it to tide me over.

I doubt it would make good cat litter because it won't clump at all. I briefly had chicks with water in there and the water would run like a small river underneath the coffee grounds and out the door of the coop. I also found that the grounds would mold when wet and not stirred to dry, but aside from that brief period I never keep water in the


I'm not sure I'd do that because I am pretty hard core about keeping moisture out of my coop. I did find that when wet and not stirred, the grounds molded. If you kept them stirred with a fan, that would still keep the humidity very high in the coop which in turn can make it feel hotter, or at least I would think so. It's pretty humid where I live!

My ducks will eat their shavings so i’m guessing that coffee grounds isn’t a good idea. or does coffee not harm ducks?

 

[Jennc-123]

An easy to clean plank under the roosts (chickens poop the most at night) We call it a poop deck

 

[rosemarythyme]

I am confused as to why the need to dry out the grounds? I need to add moisture to my coop, deep litter method on a dirt floor, my coop is my compost pile.

Because most coops aren't set up for true deep litter so the added moisture is a bad idea. Also, wet grounds tend to get moldy. As you are actively composting it's unlikely to be an issue for you.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

that’s what i’m wondering too. Can anyone further explain on how this works?

The grounds are safe, but I’ve never seen my birds the to eat them even when I’ve spilled feed in the coop. They are amazingly accurate with their beaks!

My ducks will eat their shavings so i’m guessing that coffee grounds isn’t a good idea. or does coffee not harm ducks?

They aren’t harmful for chickens so I would assume the same for ducks. My chickens have never tried to eat them even when I’ve dropped feed in the coop. They are amazingly accurate with their beaks! But ducks do tend to be a little messier.

 

[humblehillsfarm]

An easy to clean plank under the roosts (chickens poop the most at night) We call it a poop deck

I have a poop deck (installed before switching to grounds) but some of my large breeds still sleep on the ground.