I want donkeys

[Cecelia Roselind]

Hi I want donkeys I don’t know what I would use them for (beside my happiness) because I have a TON of chickens!!! I also have ducks but I have 5 dogs who bark ALL the time! Well I guess they could protect the poultry from the dogs could I get 3 and I don’t want a jack I want 3 girls, but can you give me a list of everything I need to know and buy? Oh and could I get them as babies?

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

Their adorable

 

[FarmerGirl101]

I recommend you get experience with handling and working with donkeys before you own them yourself. They do require handling and training to ensure they are safe and respectful especially if you get them as yearlings.

You also need to make sure your dogs will be ok with them as dogs who constantly bark and freak out at them will stress them and stressed out donkeys can be very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

You can't have donkeys and chickens and ducks housed in the same area/field without fencing. This is because some donkeys hate chickens/ducks and will kill them. The same goes for dogs.

Also, make sure you are aware of the costs associated with donkeys. They are very expensive. Hay costs a lot depending on the cut and your location along with environmental factors that may have helped or hurt a harvest. You also have vet bills. Vet bills are very expensive. They need their teeth floated every year which will add up with multiple donkeys all having to go under some anesthesia, will be pricey. You also need to factor in emergency vet bills if they colic or go lame.

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

I recommend you get experience with handling and working with donkeys before you own them yourself. They do require handling and training to ensure they are safe and respectful especially if you get them as yearlings.

You also need to make sure your dogs will be ok with them as dogs who constantly bark and freak out at them will stress them and stressed out donkeys can be very dangerous if you don't know what you are doing.

You can't have donkeys and chickens and ducks housed in the same area/field without fencing. This is because some donkeys hate chickens/ducks and will kill them. The same goes for dogs.

Also, make sure you are aware of the costs associated with donkeys. They are very expensive. Hay costs a lot depending on the cut and your location along with environmental factors that may have helped or hurt a harvest. You also have vet bills. Vet bills are very expensive. They need their teeth floated every year which will add up with multiple donkeys all having to go under some anesthesia, will be pricey. You also need to factor in emergency vet bills if they colic or go lame.

I have a cleared forest paddock and the next pen over are my ducks and then in front of the 3 large pens are 5 chicken runs and coops were could I get hands on experience

 

[FarmerGirl101]

Sometimes rescues will take beginners and teach them the ropes. My rescue did a little bit of that. You can also look at a lesson barn and see if they don't offer more of ground work than riding. Experience with horses will also transfer over. Get experience first then test out the waters with donkey ownership through fostering some from a local rescue. But I cannot emphasis to get experience first enough.

 

[Cecelia Roselind]

Sometimes rescues will take beginners and teach them the ropes. My rescue did a little bit of that. You can also look at a lesson barn and see if they don't offer more of ground work than riding. Experience with horses will also transfer over. Get experience first then test out the waters with donkey ownership through fostering some from a local rescue. But I cannot emphasis to get experience first enough.

Okay I will!