My mule, the beaver..

mamahen · #1 10/05/10, 11:05 AM

So Penny has decided to alter our barn a bit.

She has chewed/ripped holes in 3 out of 4 barn doors. The doors are 4X9 dutch style. She made "windows" in the top 2, and a "doorway" in one bottom door.

She finally managed to chew a hole big enough for her to sqeeze into the barn. Of course, she pretends she doesn't know how to go back out. We put new wood back on, and of course, it's chewed open again. And the goats love it, because they can stand in the barn all day. Penny also helped herself to 3 bales of hay in the hayloft (I think she's part giraffe, too!)

SO we are running 2 strands of electric across the opening this weekend. Surprise!

CIW · #2 10/05/10, 10:09 PM

The joys of muledom.
At our house its either steel or concrete on anything under 9 feet. Ties on the hitch rail are chain.
A friend who has a wood barn, wrapped all the doors in galvinized sheet metal to stop his mules from enjoying their beaver side.
Do they have free choice block of mineral?

Cannon_Farms · #3 10/06/10, 06:07 AM

just a general question but how long is her forage? like is the grass short or hay not very thick or long?

mamahen · #4 10/06/10, 09:44 AM

She is out 24/7 - the pasture she is in right now is getting pretty low, typical for Oct. in PA. We are going to rotate this weekend (if my hubby is not still sick) - but she also gets 1st & 2nd cutting grass hay. The 1st cut is stemmier, and 2nd is nice & soft & green.

She is also in with "her" goats. They like to chew, nibble, too. So maybe they gave Penny pointers. Also, this is the first summer Penny was without her cow-friend, she is definately not as active. The cow & her played quite a bit and stayed out of trouble. Now she is either eating, or standing at the barn staring at the house.

nehimama · #5 10/06/10, 10:16 AM

When I raised mini donks, I had the same problem. Advice to me was to make "Poop Paint", and brush it on the wood surfaces that they were gnawing. It worked.

Cannon_Farms · #6 10/07/10, 07:34 AM

equines have what is called a minimum chew factor which means that most require over a 3 inch long forage to satisfy that instinct. Time and time again they have found that with most chewers if given a course long forage they would stop the wood chewing as their need would be satisfied so I thought maybe that was it.
I work with a halter horse who has an itchy tongue, he doesnt chew but will just go almost limp if you take the lead rope and saw it over his tongue.

Has she got wolf teeth?