My Donkey Alarm Clock

[tiffanyh]

Hello all- behavior question I am hoping for some feedback on!

9 yr old mini donkey, had about 3 months now. He is with goats in a paddock area he shares with 6 mini goats so he gets grass hay and whatever small bit of grain ( ) the goats dont tackle before him.


My problem is he brays at 6, then 6:30, then 7, then 7:30 (if I wait that long) until I feed him. I try to make sure I feed him when he is not yelling for it so I dont train him to train me. I also am considering lowering the morning feed rations and increasing the night feed so he is not so hungry in the morning although I am worried about that is more of an internal alarm now.

Just want to try to correct some of this if I can to keep the neighbors happy. Otherwise, he can yell all day long if he likes! Just trying to control him yelling for food in the early morning...any advice from all you equine people out there? Id really appreciate it!

 

[patandchickens]

If you *have* to grain the goats, what about doing it after work instead of first thing in the morning? Then, if he gets anticipatory and loud about it, at least (once he learns the change in schedule) it won't be when folks are trying to sleep

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[Bunnylady]

My alarm clock has shorter ears than yours (she's a mini mule), but the routine is the same! Problem is, she doesn't get hay until at least 7, but she'll start yelling a lot earlier than that. Being a mule, it isn't quite a true donkey bray. Her vocalizations sound rather like the squeal of a very large pig. Even though she can't see our driveway from the pasture, she knows the sound of my car engine, and sounds off whenever I come home. What a welcome!

I like the idea of switching the grain to evenings rather than mornings. I'm also pondering the possibility of a type of slow feeder for the hay. A slow feeder is some kind of container that has relatively small holes, that the animals have to work a little to get the hay out of. It takes them longer to eat it, some people even manage to have hay in front of their animals 24 hours a day without them blowing up like balloons that way. If the hay was always available to him he might (knock on wood) not nag at you for more.

 

[mully]

I feed late at night and do not have this problem as they have hay in the morning Try putting a couple of flakes in the feeder at 10pm and see if that does not make a difference.

 

[tiffanyh]

Im going to start stocking up the night feeding tonight. I have been taking away the a.m. and adding to the p.m. little by little. I too would LOVE to put a bale out and not have them just devour it. I am thinking of trying a 1/2 bale and seeing how that goes--time how long they take to devour it, but based on the way the goats act, I think it will be gone pretty quick...

Thanks guys...we'll see!

 

[tiffanyh]

UPDATE: Two nights with loading up the hay and a bit of grain and it is gone in the morning! I feel like that may come from the fact that one goat is nursing and two others are quite pregnant, they are eating like crazy!!

This morning 2 loud hee-haws at 7 and 7:30, down from and later than the normal, we'll try for a couple weeks and see how it goes! I assume with equine as with any other animal, the behavior will take a bit to progress they way I like-if at all!!

 

[mully]

Changing animal behaviors takes time and patience. My donkeys call me because they want company, a brushing and a rub down. I live in the country so it is not a problem. You goats are probably eating the donkeys share so with regard to the grain feed the donkey from a hanging bucket that the goats can't reach and that might fix things.

 

[sterlng&sierra]

Our mini donk would bray at exactly 6:30 each morning, even changing with the time changes. It sure was a nice alarm clock, he had a very nice voive.

 

[tiffanyh]

Mully, I think your right, they do seem to be eating his share, especially since a few are nursing and pregnant right now and ravenous! I did up the feed at night and Doug does seem calmer when he eats now, down a few brays this morning too...so maybe this is working?

I did talk to two of the three neighbors and they can hear him but love him and dont care, they thinks it "Cute" so I should let go of the anxiety and not worry, but that third neighbor is not an animal person and asked my other neighbor with a rooster/farm to get rid of him. She didnt and they asked nicely and never complained when she said no, but I just want to avoid conflict in regards to my animals.

Im keeping my fingers crossed that we are moving in the right direction.


EDIT TO ADD: I did try a few different feeding stations to be sure everyone was getting some but it was a disaster as everyone ran back and forth and stepped on each other and Doug got all upset so I figure the one station is working in regards to no one getting hurt, so I went back to that!

 

[mully]

Mini donkeys like to eat and it is easy to get them too fat. If you give treats in the morning ...don't because this could add to the bray problem. Also if the goats scream and get what they want so will donkey.
I make mine bray for a treat, they especially like ginger snaps and a few small ones are good for them. Glad things are working out and your neighbors enjoy the bray .... tell them to come over and bring carrots