# Donkeys vs goats



## Halkatla

Just out of curiosity: Are donkeys any easier (or more dificult) to keep than goats? IE, are they easier to keep fenced in, are they more expensive to feed, do they make less noise, etc? How much outdoor space should a "free range" (no idea what you'd call this in english  I mean one that's not kept in a stable at night) should a 130 cm'ish donkey have? 

(Just to clarify, I'm not talking about guard donkeys here. Just donkeys as an alternative to goats, for crazy cat(donkey)ladies like me who just wants a couple of interesting pet and cart animals.)

Also, I'm sorry if I'm spamming you guys with odd questions lately.  Keeping these types of animals seem much more common over there in the states, so I'm trying to grab the oportunity and learn as much as I can now that I've found some goatpeople. There's not an awfol lot of information about things like this in my corner of the world (and if you tell anyone you want to keep goats/donkeys/llamas they will think you are at least mildly insane :hammer.


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## canyontrailgoats

I would think that donkeys are easier to keep fenced in, but of course they'll eat more than a goat! Not sure how much space a donkey would need, but the pen/pasture needs to be large enough for them to run around in and exercise.

Of course feed and space depends on whether the donkey is a mini, standard or giant. LOL, not sure what size a 130 cm donkey would be. Keep in mind that a larger donkey could be harder to handle vs a goat, and will require more training if you want to ride it or use a cart.


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## WroughtFlameRanch

Donkeys are awesome! I have a 2 year old standard gelding out with my 23 year old horse and 11 goats(different breeds and ages, but mostly Nigerians).

_Are donkeys any easier (or more dificult) to keep than goats? _
They are easier in that you can generally just let them hang out in a field and they won't need too much attention in terms of feeding, medical care, and fencing. All the ones I've worked with have been mostly guardians to other species and have been pretty hardy with just yearly shots and good hoof care. 
They are more difficult because they need a companion (another donkey/horse/goat/cow/whatever) which can double the care costs and space needed. They need a farrier to come out and trim their hooves, more frequently if they are in a smaller area or a wet climate. And they need way more training than goats, especially if you want to do anything with them. I've found that there aren't too many donkey trainers around and many horse people are baffled by them since they do not react the same as horses. And since they can easily live 40-50 years if taken care of correctly, you want to make sure you train them well and right the first time (one difference is that a donkey will nurse a grudge...forever.). A donkey is a much bigger commitment than a goat.

_IE, are they easier to keep fenced in, _
Mine stays in 4 lines of cheap electric rope. But if I turn the zapper off, he watches and then slips through in a heartbeat. It's no big deal for me since he always stays within sight of the barn and there's a half-down old cattle fence around the whole property, and I could easily fix it with another line, more posts, and by keeping the charger on all the time.

_are they more expensive to feed, _
About the same as two Nigerian Dwarf goats or one Nubian. He browses with the rest of them most of the time, gets a bit more hay in winter/at night, but costs less when it comes to grain because all he gets is a small handful of cheap haystretcher pellets to get him to shut up and leave the horse alone.

_do they make less noise, etc? _
The goats make noise more frequently, but when the donkey sounds off (once or twice a day) the entire valley knows it!

_How much outdoor space should a "free range" (no idea what you'd call this in english  I mean one that's not kept in a stable at night) should a 130 cm'ish donkey have? _
That's approaching large pony/small horse size, so I would think a bit under 1 acre per donkey would work if you want them to graze for most of their food in most areas. It really does depend on how you're feeding, how much your land can grow to support them, what their purpose is (being worked regularly increases how much they need), and the individual donkey/s. And even if they aren't being stalled, they still need shelter. Donkey's coats don't shed water like a horse's will and they are more susceptible to problems from being wet since they are desert animals.

A really good book to pick up if you're interested is The Donkey Companion. Definitely worth the price, it goes over just about everything you could think to ask about donkeys.


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## LuvmyGoaties

I have recently gotten addicted to Donkeys. LOL. I had a mule that kept my horse company and when I had her put down I decided to get a donkey instead. Here in the United States the Bureau of Land Management rounds up wild Burros and then offers them for adoption for $125 each. I went to get 1 and came home with 2 and I am now so in love with these long eared critters. Honestly, if I had to pick 1 type of farm animal/livestock it would be donkeys - they are so smart, sweet and funny. 

Donkeys get fat very easily so you have to be careful what/how much they are fed. They do eat more than goats simply because they are bigger (well, a mini donk might eat about the same as a goat). 

They are pretty easy to train and as mentioned above they are very smart. They tend to do best when trained by their owner - if trained by someone else they will learn well but might not preform for the owner when they go home.

Mine are very respectful of my electric fence.


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## Halkatla

Thanks a lot!  I'll look that book up too 

I would have thought goats were (even) harder to train than donkeys, but here both species have a reputation of being 100% untrainable anyway. In my recently acquired goat books they make training a goat to drive sound almost easy, which puzzles me a lot 


(Also, those fluffy, big ears are to die for. So cute!!)


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## LuvmyGoaties

Are you on Facebook? If so I can recommend some excellent donkey pages.


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