Hello all, I was reading an earlier post titled "Frugal Round Pen" and something occurred to me. We've been interested in finding ways to recycle tires,(long story) and this post made me wonder if it would be possible to make coops/pens for goats and chickens from tires.(Sorry, I'm really new to homesteading) Any reason this wouldn't work? Any replies greatly appreciated. Have a great weekend!

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), November 25, 2000

Answers

you mean by stacking them,,alot of stacks to form a wall? Seems to me that would be alot of hazardous waste in the yard.

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), November 25, 2000.

I prefer movable pens for chickens. But I don't see how it is hazardous waste to use tires. Especially if you fill them with dirt to keep them in place. Any project that uses what would be waste is wonderful. I don't have goats but I imagine they would climb the edges of tires easily, unless you put an inside electrical tape.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 25, 2000.

Take a look at this site: (Beer cans and old tires as building materials) http://www.earthship.org/pages/community.htm

-- JLS in NW AZ (stalkingbull007@AOL.com), November 25, 2000.

I know if there are many in one place, its considered hazardous,,, because of the fire danger and the leaching

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), November 25, 2000.

Hello all I think I've just found a project : ) JLS, Thanks for the earthship address- I had to move around for awhile, but I found what I was looking for (some details, anyway) here: www.slip.net/~ckent/earthship Anyone who is interested in alternative building and self-sufficiency should really check this out- it's an amazing way to build a low-cost house and other buildings! Kent, I understand your concern regarding tire fires, but there are ways to avoid this danger, and still make use of tires, which keeps them out of the landfills. IMO, a worthwhile endeavor. Thanks to everyone for your input!

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), November 25, 2000.

Sorry, that last part was to Stan, not Kent. My apologies, Stan!

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), November 25, 2000.

Tires can be used for a lot of things, but the big problem is that neighbors might think it an eyesore. They are not hazardous unless burned which releases oil into the soil as well as other chemicals. But they are a health problem in that they harbor insects and rats when used in numbers such as a fence.

-- Nick (wildheart@ekyol.com), November 26, 2000.

I have been gardening in tires for more than 10 years now, and guess what; I am still ALIVE.

In recent years I have built some fences with tires, with the blessing of my local health department. They tell me that there is no health hazard as long as the tires are filled with dirt, as long as they do not hold watter. Water that stands in tires provides a place for mosquitoes to breed thus the referred to "health hazard".

Tires are manufactured at temperatures of 335 deg. f. and will not release anything from their composition at a temperature lower than that. So burning will cause release of chemicals in the tires. The only chemical that is in the tire that is dangerous is usually oil, which will burn. Smoke of course is toxic and this is the problem in a tire fire. If they are filled with dirt they are a lot less likely to burn, as a tire fire takes a considerable amount of air.

Probably not a real good barrier for most kinds of livestock. Chickens and goats would no doubt, walk right over the top. Sheep might do all right, as they usually are pretty good at respecting a fence.

About the NEIGHBORS, the higher the fence the better the neighbors will become.

The main problem that I have with tire projects is this. I consistently run out of steam, before I run out of tires.

-- Ed Copp (OH) (edcopp@yahoo.com), November 26, 2000.

Nick- only 2 neighbors anywhere near me, and the way my property is set up, they wouldn't even be able to see the coop, so that's okay.

Ed- thanks for the specifics. I was thinking about a U-shaped wall of earth packed tires (kind of high) with a roof on top to keep the chickens from "going over the wall". : ) I'm planning on painting them to keep it from looking so much like a pile of tires. We're also going to garden with tires this year. I read a great article on tire gardening that got me interested, especially for potatoes. The only reason my husband hasn't tried to do away with me over my crazy ideas is that he doesn't want to take care of 5 little ones on his own. LOL

-- Kristin, in C. Alabama (positivekharma@aol.com), November 26, 2000.

I have gardened in tires and don't anymore because: they were very heavy and inconvenient to deal with in getting the potatoes out of them (awkward digging down, and heavy and tedious undoing the stack) they seemed to encourage beetles for my cucurbits.

We have plenty of room, so save the tires to circle young trees so I don't mow them over. Also good to put around protruding pipes, again to protect you from mowing them.

-- Anne (HT@HM.com), November 26, 2000.

I collect everyone's old tires too. I have a play area for the baby goats. They LOVE to jump on them. I was lucky and found some Tractor tires too. Do tire stores just give them to you if you ask?

-- Cindy in Ky (solidrockranch@msn.com), November 27, 2000.

Having lived longer than I'd originally intended I think its laughable how government decrees things "hazardous", and repeats it to death to drum it in. You regularly see a whole generation of newly minted adults thougtlessly spouting from our Nation's own Mao's red book of correct thought. . Just love the "MOre you know" drivel on NBC channels.

-- charles (clb@watervalley.net), November 27, 2000.

I have used several thousand old tyres on a hill property to make retaining walls. After trying for ages to fill the tyres with clay, I hit on the idea of removing one side wall and making a "bowl" that I could fill with a shovel and a few taps from my boots. I use a box cutter (craft knife in these parts) with good quality hardened snap- off blades. I make a cut just back from the tyre thread with the knife and insert my spare hand, pulling the side up and cutting at the same time. It takes 60 seconds per tyre and I get up to a dozen tyres from each part of the blade before I have to snap a section off.I had planned to build walls etc but it takes one large barrow full of earth to fill a single tyre. Do not use large truck tyres as they have a lot of steel in the sidewalls and are impossible to cut.

-- francis mahony (mhnyf@xtra.co.nz), November 05, 2001.

Hi I found an easy way to cut tyres was with a jigsaw, so much quicker and safer than a knife. Also when I used them for potatoes I cut most of the centre out of them, it made it much easier when it came to getting them out, you do have to use the same size tyres though.

Good luck

-- Corina in New Zealand (corinak@paradise.net.nz), February 10, 2002.