# Donkey help!



## Ember (May 23, 2011)

The lady we just bought our new does off of has 2 Great Pyrenees and plans to breed them next year. So we are going to get one off of her. But in the meantime we have nothing in with our goats.

My MIL has 2 llamas and keeps pestering us to put one of them in with the goats, we fixed the fence so they cannot come through into the goat area anymore. We continuously tell her we are not going to put one of her llamas in with the goats but she continues to pester us. The reason we refuse to put a llama in with the goats is because her llamas (and this is why we fixed the fence) stand inside the barn in the goat stall all day and just pee and poop. They never go outside until we kick them out so they just pee and poop everywhere making a huge mess! They also as some of you have followed been dying very randomly and my husband and I are both convinced that she has got some sort of disease spreading through them. She has went from 4 llamas to 2 llamas since 2012. So we don't want them in there for that reason as well we don't want them getting our goats sick.

So my husband and I talked last night and we've agreed to get a donkey in the meantime. So my question is then what kind of donkey?! I've heard Mammoth donkeys are the best when it comes to this. But then I've seen and heard people say miniture donkeys are just fine. I'm also conflicted I've been told a female is the way to go, but then I've been told oh no you want an intact male or oh no you want a gelded male.

What do I need?! 

I want something that is going to be good with the goats, but I also want something that is going to let me handle it and not try to bite kick or run me over. I've been around some naughty donkeys..lol

My MIL is none to happy about us getting a donkey keeps telling us that you can't have donkeys with horses etc. And when we ask why she has no valid reason and doesn't respond. I've seen numerous people including the lady we bought our buck off of who has donkeys in with horses. Our goats do not even share a pasture with her horses so I don't see why its a big deal to her in the first place!

So any help is appreciated, I'd like to get something within the next month! Also can you have more than 1 of does that defeat the purpose? I heard they buddy up and then don't pay attention to the goats?

Here are some for sale in my area, let me know if any of these seem like a good thing...

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/3823062204.html

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/3832959169.html

http://indianapolis.craigslist.org/grd/3820275716.html

http://cincinnati.craigslist.org/grd/3742215123.html

http://dayton.craigslist.org/grd/3832880596.html


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

First, there is no way you would want an intact male. Second, make sure they are an actual guard donkey and that it would get along with goats.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

I agree with Karen..you want a gelded Jack...or a jenny..a gelded jack is better..you want one that has proven himself with the goats.... a standard size is best IMO...minis are great but a pack of coyotes can take one down..but they do alert when needed...and it is better to have just one..you dont just toss a donkey in with his new charges...you need a week or so of fence time meet and greet..he needs to know his herd. You also want healthy.... google some info on donkeys..learn what a healthy guy should look like...


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## Ember (May 23, 2011)

Ok I'll have to do some looking. 

I had a lady offer me a female mini donkey and her baby for free. She said theyve had them for 12 years and the mama donkey was pregnant when they got them and she has no idea how old the mama donkey is. She told me shes had them in with a goat and a mini pony at one time. 

I found an ad in the farm world paper the guy has scottish highland cattle and guard donkeys so I think I might call him.

Whats the different between a standard and a mammomth?


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## SpruceCreek (Mar 27, 2013)

A mini donkey won't work. 

I do have one concern though, maybe you have already covered it, but when you get your LGD are you going to remove the donkey then?


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Mini donkeys are fine...the only problemis with a pack of dogs or coyotes they can t handle butother wise as long as she is introduced through a fence a week or two they will do good..mine do very well with my goats..even let the kids jump on them playfully...if her baby is a Jack however..I would not puthim with the goats...if he is weened you can seperate him or he will breed mom back again..


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## NubianFan (Jun 3, 2013)

Standard donkeys are just a regular sized donkey somewhere around 12-13 hands tall. Mammoth donkey's are horse sized 14.2 hands or bigger and really aren't that common mini donkeys are under 10 hands, think smaller than a Shetland pony.


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## shellbaby916 (Aug 18, 2013)

I have a standard donkey (jack) who has been with other horses but never goats. I have to keep him and my goats separate. He almost killed one of my sweet boys a few weeks ago when my goat got out and into the big field with him. He has also grabbed them by the neck from across the fence. My vet said it is quite common for donkeys to kill or severely injure goats, as they normally will attack anything smaller than them. I've heard jenny's are a better choice, but you need to be sure they have run with goats before you decide on one.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

A gelded jack is calm, gentle and sweet...we have a young yearling that once cut (we waitied 2 months) now runs with our sheep..she is very good withthem..before he would stomp themto death is given the chance...Gelded Jacks are better than Jennies for protectors...Jennies canbe great..but tempermental when in heat.


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