Will donkeys keep predators away like foxes and dogs?

[S and A Layers]

I have aprox 80-100 free ranging chickens that stay around our barn and near there coops we own 100 acres but we have a 4 acre area fenced in around the barn. I wonder if I put a couple donkeys in it will it keep they foxes and other predators away. Does anybody else have donkeys to protect your chickens? And have you noticed none go missing? Thanks

 

[dylan duck man]

I do and they do they donet let nothing in the pen a matter a fact we just got a new baby donkey

 

[wayne hulgan]

we don't have any now, but we did keep them with our cattle. They were great, no dogs, coyotes or foxes. we had 2 jacks and they worked as a team. one would stay with the calves the other would chase the varmints. if the cattle were away from the calves he would make them get up and join the heard, then join the chase. love donkeys.

 

[S and A Layers]

I need to get me a couple just in case something comes looking for a meal around my pen.

 

[jdywntr]

You need to make sure that you keep the pasture cut down though. If they can't see it, they don't know its there. I was letting my chickens range in our pasutre. Some of the pasture was overgrown. Our landlord had 2 horses and 2 donkeys in the pasture. I had roaming dogs come in and kill some birds and a coyote get 2. I even saw the coyote in the pasture, during the day with the donkeys about 50' away. But again, this was overgrown in some areas.

When I found 2 dogs in the pasture with 2 chickens they'd torn apart, I called over the "boys" (what I called the donkeys). They saw the dogs but didn't approach them. I think it depends on the situation too. I don't know that I'd rely soley on donkeys.

 

[S and A Layers]

Yeah we keep it mowed down, I haven't had any trouble yet but I do see predators around, we even have a invinsible electric fence in our yard and the dogs wear a collar the system was around $400 and it keeps the dogs in the area around our house.

 

[4 the Birds]

Donkeys in with the chickens will for sure discourage a large portion of aerial raptors and ground predators. I would not go as far as to say that the "protect" them. We have goats in with our chickens and they like to hang out together. The goats are very alert and if nothing else they will snort and run around if things are amiss and this allows the chickens to take cover. We have plenty of coyotes and hawks in the area but we have never had an attack to our flock even though they free range full time.

Note: we have a dog pack on the property that probably also is a huge help.

 

[S and A Layers]

Yeah I was thinking about starting off and getting a pair of registered Nubian milk goats just to grow a herd.

 

[BeardedMurray]

We have 3 goats in with our chicken and just the other day I caught a fox chasing after one of our goats on my security cameras. Lucky he did't get caught but I did lose 2 chicken to the fox. Sneaky guy dug right under the fence, we have since repaired it.

 

[llombardo]

Donkies will kill coyotes