New baby donkey! Thanks for the pictures! MORE PLEASE!!!

[kkm]

We got a new baby donkey today.

He is a jack and about hip high to me(5'6''). We are thinking of getting goats and thought donkeys were good guards for them. But someone on another thread said they could be dangerous around goats and dogs? Anyway, we are new at this farm stuff and any advice would be helpful. Does he need shots? Do I do any thing to his hooves? Is the vast supply of bermuda grass(10acs) enough for him till winter? DH helped me get the pictures on here

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[Bec]

At the top of the forum you will see uploads....click on that and you can upload your pic. Then when it is done loading, it will have 2 links under it, right click on the image link and hit copy. Them when you write your new post right click and hit paste.....thats it!
You should have your farrier lok at his hooves and determine if he needs a trim and if he hasn't had any shots, then yes he will need some shots. Your vet will know which ones he will need!! Can't wait to see pics!!

 

[texaschickmama]

Hurry, I need a picture. I think baby donkeys are the cutest thing on the planet, besides my babies.............. I so want a donkey to protect my cows.

 

[patandchickens]

I don't know about goats with donkeys, no direct experience there and I've heard conflicting things... but donkeys are often instinctually inclined to go after dogs (that is WHY they're useful as livestock guardians against coyotes!) so I'd suggest being reaaalll careful, for a prolonged time, around your or anyone else's pet dogs. Some donks are basically ok with them but a lot will go after the dog (sometimes 'out of the blue') and try to kick the dog's head in and stomp it into the ground. Just so ya know.

Pat

 

[Bec]

AWWW!!!!!!!

He is adorable!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

 

[Haviris]

He's cute! If you want to use him as a guardian the first thing you might want to do is geld him. I have never tried to keep a donkey w/ my goats, I own one donkey and I wouldn't say he's overly aggressive w/ dogs or anything, but every once in a while he gets a wild hair up his butt and that is the only time I see him go after the dogs, seems to be playing more then anything, but could definately hurt one.

If it were me I'd geld him and then see what he's like and how he reacts to other animals. If he's good you could give it a try, just be careful! People do it successfully, but I think Jennies are prefered.

It's always abit of a risk putting a bigger stronger animal in w/ smaller ones. I keep my pony and miniature mares in w/ my goats w/ no problems, so you just have to know your animals and deside what you feel safe with.

 

[Mojo Chick'n]

Heya -

How old is he? His baby fur is nearly gone (or is it just the way the pic looks?)

He is adorable, btw <g>. I have 5 donkeys and I keep a horse in with them (she is old and has arthritis - she enjoys the smaller - less threatening - and gentler company.)

My baby is 5 months old, and I have a 10 month old Jack - the others are 1 year (actually about 13 months) and Mama donkey is 4 years old.

The person I got my young jack from had goats (lots of them, boers, I believe) and the donkeys ran with them.

They don't care for dogs because they see a dog as a predator (like a coyote or a wolf). Mine usually chase the dog out of the pasture when he is brave enough to go in looking for snacks <ewww>.

One good thing is, if he is young (and he seems really young if he is only hip high) then he will bond with the goats. Donkeys don't like to be alone. Our neighbor has a lone donkey and the poor thing hee haws a LOT, really loudly, looking for some company.

If you don't plan to breed, then I would also suggest gelding him. Entire jacks tend to try to show their superiority when they reach a certain age - they don't hurt usually, but they will take a smaller animal by the back of the neck and hold on to show them who's boss.

His hooves should be fine, as long as he is able to range in a nice pasture. They will need trimming eventually, just keep an eye on them - donkey hooves look different than horses hooves, they are more "upright" looking.

10 acres will be plenty for him, but you might want to get a sack of grain to feed him (he will only eat about 1/4 the amount of grain that a horse will - donkeys get fat easily, and do not slim down easily they also founder easily on too rich a diet of grain - too much fat can harm them).

Also, and this is just my opinion, but if he is already tame, and if you mess with him regularly, you should take the halter off when he is out in the pasture. Donkeys shouldn't have halters on all the time.

If you want a great book - basically "the bible" on donkeys - get a copy of "The Definitive Donkey" by Betsy and Paul Hutchins - We got ours on ebay for 20 bucks - it is about 60 bucks on Amazon - so look around to find it cheaper (ebay sometimes runs it, maybe some other used book place will have it cheap).

If ya want to see my donkeys, I can post pics of them <g> Baby donkeys are the cutest things in the entire world. Our Mama donkey is due in the spring - I can't wait.

Peace -
Meriah

 

[Emzyyy]

OMG! he's adorable

 

[EllyMae]

Our donkey and mini mule HATED dogs and they also tried to run down the goat we put in with them...they would have killed her if we hadn't intervened.

 

[kkm]

chiknmama, I'd love to see your donkey pics! We are not sure how old he is. A friend picked him up for us at a barn sale. It just said weaned. He was just so cute we took a chance

. We have him in a smaller pen right now to make sure he is OK and let him get used to us closer to the house. He seems to be doing fine so far.