Donkey lovers I need help!!!

Verndawg

Exploring the pasture
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I need a little help. I have four fainting goats and they are going to be put into the pasture here soon. I wanted to get a donkey for protection for my goats. I have been told that I need to purchase an older donkey, is that true? I would perfer to get a baby, but I don't know much about them. Will my goats be enought to keep a donkey happy? Beside the interaction with my family. My goats are very friendly and will come up to you as you go into the barn for attention.

I also have chickens. Will the donkey go after them? I have two beagles as well, and I here that they will stomp on them if they get the change. Soooo I need your help. Do I purchase a baby or an older donkey?

Thanks
Verna
 

bubba1358

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I have a ten-year-old gelding. I had him for about 9 months, and then got 3 young sheep. He tried to stomp the sheep within hours of keeping them together. I have not put them back in together since. I don't know if I ever will.

Given your setup, I would go for the younger donkey. The donkey protects his area more than his herd. If he is introduced to an established group, then he will perceive them as belonging there, and protect them from outsiders. Once he establishes his own area, then he will try to kill those he perceives as not belonging (like my sheep).

Mine ignores the chickens when the venture into his pen. Wild turkeys, too. I have heard of some who bite and shake anything with wings.

I guess the main thing to remember is that each donkey is different.
 

Bunnylady

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I have a mini mule molly. I got her when she was 9 years old, and I put her into a pasture with 4 goats. She spent the next 3 days chasing the goats around. There were chickens and ducks in the pasture as well, and though she mostly ignored them, she occasionally tried to stomp the ducks. Dogs and anything dog-like are in for a rough time if they are so bold as to come into her space.

During the time I have owned her, there were two periods when she was the only equine on the place. She seemed resigned to her fate as an "only mule" at those times, but she has only been happy when she had other equines (in this case, miniature horses) to hang out with.
 

Baymule

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Donkeys and mules just naturally hate varmits, dogs, anything that intrudes on their territory. I've had donkeys that stomped chickens, dogs and anything smaller than them. I have a mule and she recently stomped a coral snake. Fortunately, it did not bite her. Donkeys are highly intelligent and they think through situations-I swear you can see their brains turning! :lol: Before turning the donkey out with the goats, pen them side by side where the donkey can get aquainted with them. Socialize the donkey so that it understands the goats are "yours". I read of a donkey that was kept with a flock of white sheep and a black lamb was born. The donkey killed it because it was "different" from the other sheep. The owner had to work with the donkey to get it to accept black lambs.

Do not use a miniature donkey as a pasture guard. it is too small to fight off dogs and will more than likely fall victim as would your goats. Get a standard size donkey. It is big enough to get the job done and agile enough to put up a good fight if needed. The largest size of donkey is a mammoth and is the size of a horse. These are generally too big and too slow to use as pasture guards, but make fine riding animals.

For lots of good info, here is a site

http://www.lovelongears.com/
 
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