My Donkey Questions

[MTplainsman]

I will be bringing home a donkey in about a week, and have some questions.

*Will the Jack blend in well if wintered with old cows or maybe a pen of heifers?

*Are donkeys more solitary types rather than herd types?

*Do they do better with another donkey or will they be just fine amongst other critters, or even just by themselves?

*Will my Jack live well amongst geese, ducks, chickens, and a couple pasture hogs?

*Will my donkey flourish on standard grass hay with supplemental oats or field pea screenings?

*Are donkeys hard to contain or will they search for weak spots in fences?

Please feed me any of this info and more if you all would. I sure thank you, Joel

[Wisconsin Ann]

from my limited knowledge base, donkeys are social animals, and would like company. Should do fine with your other critters if they're introduced slowly.

hay is great. Donkeys are more fuel efficient critters than horses, so you should be fine.

donkeys are occasionally used as guards for herds of smaller animals, so you may find yourself with a really cool addition to your farm

hard to contain? well, they're easier than goats (ANYTYHING is easier than goats) but harder than horses. donkeys have a tendency to try gates out to see if they can open them.

that's pretty much what I remember from when we had them. oh yah...they make GREAT pets and if they don't want to do something(like go in a stream) they won't. If you need to get across a stream, just give up and build a bridge.

[Scrounger]

Every donkey will be a bit different tempered. It also depends on if he is a full size or a miniture. I learned long ago that I'll never have another one on my place. To each his own......
My wife's brother has one living with his dad's goats. It eats what they eat.

[MTplainsman]

BTW...this is a standard sized 4 year old Jack

[daxelsen]

Donkeys do way better with other horses or donkeys. The person I bought mine from would not sell them unless they went to a home with other donkeys or horses.
Donkeys are incredibly intelligent and they are just not as happy with other cows and goats. At least mine isn't. He does well with the sheep and goats as long as the horse is with him.

[GrannieD]

Your donkey being a jack could well be "the" problem as testosterone motivates...If he is used to certain animals & proven good with them he may fit right in...on the other hand you might find him running & chewing on everybody else..One of my jacks does fine left with mares & foals as he doesn't breed mares...the other one will run & torture foals ...both will run the dogs occasionally...when I bought a 4 yr.old mini jack he got surgery in a hurry as he was aggresive toward all animals ...we've enjoyed him for 25 yrs. now...You'll find out soon whether it'll work or not...Give the fellow a job...GrannieD

[Cindy in KY]

We had a gelded Jack. Really sweet, we rode him too. We really just got him to save him from the auction. We paid $150. We had him a long time out "guarding" our dairy goat herd. He was fine. Then in the fall of the next year, when the goat girls came into heats, the buck would be chasing the girls, and the Jack did not like that at all. Before we knew it, the Jack had killed the buck, and a couple young bucks. One was registered too.

We moved him over to the field with our bottle calves, off the bottle now. He would pick them up by the top of their necks and shake them. Big calves too.

I have always read that Jennys make better guards than Jacks. Course we've just had the one, so I can't say from experience.

We traded the Jack for a pull behind bush hog, and the Jack went into the local horse shows being ridden by a kid. He was only with horses after he left here.

[Spinner]

Originally Posted by MTplainsman

*Will the Jack blend in well if wintered with old cows or maybe a pen of heifers? My pair of Jacks prefer to be with a herd of cattle. They get along well with the heifers, cows, and bulls.

*Are donkeys more solitary types rather than herd types? Mine are herd types. They like to stay right with the cattle and they are always seen together, one will wander off and the other will notice and run over to it.

*Do they do better with another donkey or will they be just fine amongst other critters, or even just by themselves? I've heard of many people having just one, but I have a pair so I don't know if a single one will be lonely for others of his own kind.

*Will my Jack live well amongst geese, ducks, chickens, and a couple pasture hogs? Mine get along well with the ducks, chickens, guineas, goats, and pigs. In the beginning they would chase the ducks, but now they are used to them they get along well. They don't like the dogs. I've been told that donkeys will kill dogs. My dogs are a bit confused because the donkeys compete with them for guarding the goats.

*Will my donkey flourish on standard grass hay with supplemental oats or field pea screenings? Donkeys are easy keepers. They will get along fine on hay, but they will enjoy a handfull of sweat feed every day. Hand feeding him will help keep him friendly.

*Are donkeys hard to contain or will they search for weak spots in fences? They must not be very good at finding a way thru or over a fence. Mine stayed with the cattle and now that the cattle have been moved to the next pasture over the donkeys haven't found a way to get over there with them. I know they'd like to, but so far they are staying in the pasture without the cattle.

Please feed me any of this info and more if you all would. I sure thank you, Joel

I hope this helps.

[uncle Will in In.]

He will have a better attitude with other critters if you have him gelded.

[CIW]

There are some things that are unusual about having a donkey Jack.
A Jack has a territory (realestate) and will attempt to control and/or breed whatever comes within it. Also when a Jack comes to confront what ever is in his territory he comes to fight to the death. Unlike a horse who only wants to chase off what ever is bothering his band.
(A stallion has a band of mares and goes wherever they lead him.)
Because they control a territory, they are very detailed, and know their territory well. This is why they notice when a gate is left unlatched or a dog comes within it.
Most Jack owners will tell you that they even have preferences as to which mare/jennet they like where as a horse will often breed any mare in estras
The reason that they try to kill the calves is because they are not of thier sireing.
Unless you have plans to use him as a sire. It would probably be in your best interest to have him casterated before you bring him home. If not keep him in a seperated.
There is more than one instance where people have been hurt and bitten by their friendly little donkey Jack. The tough thing is that Jacks don't show any disernable signs prior to their attack.

[comfortablynumb]

hard to answer.
my donk HATES dogs.
he chases cats..... until he got to know them now he just puts his nose under them and flips them up in the air.
he ignores oposssums.
he likes little kids.
he hates people who smoke.
he is freaked out by ducks.

donkeys are not horses.
I would keep him separated and introduce one animal at a time to him.
he might find great sport in stomping your geese to death.
or he may love em.

[Wolf mom]

Interesting answers.

My gelded jack loves dogs & they play "chase" back & forth across the field. First one chasing, then the other.

I believe all animals are better "two by two". My BLM (Bureau of Land Managment) donkey was bought as a companion for my horse now that I'm down to one.

They are much more intelligent than people give them credit fror being. And curious. Always looking over my shoulder like "What's ya doin', mom, huh, huh?" Give him toys, those orange highway cones are good. Horse balls. Things he can fetch & carry & drop into his water trough.

Do not feed him rich food. Remember, they're desert animals & forage on sparce pickings. If he develops the runs, his food is too rich.

Mine is a love muffin. They have long memories - do not punish him - just redirect him.

Can't answer about cows, etc. but I'm sure he'd adapt. I think the suggesstion about introducing him slowly to other creatures is a good idea.

Have fun......

[LisaInN.Idaho]

You should post this on the Equine board so Donkeyman and Rogo see it.

[uncle Will in In.]

I know it wasn't in your questions, but how scarce is hay in your neck of the woods? If it's up close to $5 as some homesteaders report, if not higher, it would be easy to have more money in hay this winter than a donkey should cost.

[smpooh1]

Comfortablynumb is Right-On in his discription of a donk. They are wonderful little creatures but all are different and do have their very distinct likes and dislikes.

Have fun with him. Some of these little guys are great in front of a cart!

[comfortablynumb]

mine gets very irate if i move stuff around inside the fenced areas.

move one thing out of place and he runs around and snorts at it like hes never seen it before.

they have very good memories

[MTplainsman]

Well, I got a lot of good words on this subject so far, thanks alot guys.

I do not wish to geld my Jack, as I would like the possibilty of breeding a jenny or two someday.

Uncle Will, I have 40 ton of hay left over from last year, and 400 ton on it's way...I think I'll have enough for the one donkey, LOL!

[comfortablynumb]

not gelding eh...

post the pics of the hoofprints in your forehead for us.
lol