# New weanling donkey



## emigkj07

hi there! I am completely new to donkeys. My husband bought a just weaned jack for $25. And when I mean just weaned I mean he was weaned when put on the trailer yesterday. he was born Sept 3rd, so 6 months old. I feel like he is on the thinner side, but again new to donkeys. We got him to be a sheep herd protector, but also to give the kids something to play with. What would be a good feed for him? do I worry about him being thin and give grain? most everything that I am reading is that they are good on just hay but didn't know with him being young and thin. We will deworm this week also, I would guess that hasn't been done. Thanks in advance.


----------



## Knave

I don’t know any answers to your questions, I just opened it for the pictures. Where are the pictures? Don’t tease. Lol


----------



## emigkj07

lol let me see if I can figure out how to post pictures! I only have one though.


----------



## emigkj07

This is the only picture I have of him for now.


----------



## csimkunas6

As Knave I came for the pics....he is adorable! I must get one asap! LOL 

Sorry, dont know the answers to your questions either but I do know donkeys are quite different from horses....not sure if this site will help but it may....https://donkeywhispererfarm2010.wordpress.com/


----------



## Boo Walker

Six months old and just weaned plus the stress of a new home sans mom, he may need a little nutritive boost from feed. You're right, they are very easy keepers and have many problems if allowed to become overweight. A quick call to your vet can give you some feed brands and amount local to your area and the type and dose of horse worker (there are many and are used at different times of the year.) Always keep in mind though that equines need copper in their diet, but sheep do not. So for as long as little dude is needing some feed, he'll need to eat by himself, which is a great time for some bonding. Store his food away from the sheep stuff as well.
He will need periodic hoof trimming, again I would consult with your vet, he may be able to wrangle him when the sheep get trimmed. If he were to be more of a pet or cart donkey you would be doing more training, handling and foot care, but for his job and environment you should be fine. Like the sheep, if you notice any limping or other condition changes it's time to get the vet out. They are very hard so as long as he gets a good healthy start you'll have years of long-eared enjoyment.
Personality wise, they tend to be independent so he'll do fine out with the sheep but may end up not being as cuddly as the kids might like. What an adorable face!


----------



## Boo Walker

Edited: horse wormer (not "worker")


----------



## GMA100

And now I want a donkey! He’s literally the most adorable thing! We need more pictures! What’s his name?


----------



## JoBlueQuarter

Aww very sweet face. Welcome to the forum! Cutie donkey pics make a great first impression  :lol:


----------



## koda2004

I currently have a 10 month old Jack and his mom. We rescued the mom 2 years ago out of Texas because someone had set her and a jack loose and they ere eating people's fields. anyway, she had already raised 2 very healthy babies in the wild on her own without any human interference. SO obviously donkeys are very easy keepers. As far as him being too skinny it would really help to see some pics of him so we can really tell. Do be aware that grown jacks are known to be EXTREMELY aggressive, so you'll probably want to have him gelded between 10 months to a year old. my grandparents just had to get rid of a grown jack because he was killing calves and chasing cattle! So just be aware.
As far as hoof trimming, we have NEVER had our donkey's hooves trimmed. They just have never needed it. It really just depends on the donkey and where you live. If you have hard, rocky ground then the hooves will probably be just fine. But if you have soft ground and mud then he'll probably have to be trimmed.


----------



## loosie

emigkj07 said:


> We got him to be a sheep herd protector, but also to give the kids something to play with. What would be a good feed for him? do I worry about him being thin and give grain?


Hi & welcome! And another for more pics please! I LOVE long ears! 

I wouldn't worry about him being thin & needing feeding up - donks are naturally quite... angular compared to horses, and if he IS too thin, never been wormed this might be the reason, and good quality hay/grazing should be more than enough to get him up to speed. He may well need nutritional supplementation too though, depending what he's getting out of his forage. At least in the immediate/short term, extra magnesium may be in order, and this should help reduce his stress of losing his mum & home too.

While horses aren't built to do well on the rich, cattle fattening 'improved' pasture & feeds we often feed horses, on, and it often causes IR & obesity related issues, I think donkeys have evolved to live on some brand of... twig! Overfeeding is a very big prob for donkeys.

And if you're not just wanting him for a livestock guard, I'd also plan on getting him gelded very soon. Jacks are renown for being aggressive, do not make good pets, but with good handling, a gelding will make a lovely, gentle kid's pet. I grew up with one myself!

Of course, depends on your area & the vets therein, but I don't *generally* agree with Boo that a vet is the best person to advise on donkey nutrition. Don't know where in the world you are, but there is a brand of supp here called Khonke's and they have a specific supp for donkeys. Although, as for horses, it will depend what they're getting in their diet as to what they may need. Copper being necessary for equines but deadly to sheep is one important consideration...

I also *generally* disagree with Boo & koda on the hoof care. It certainly depends, and your environment & if donk will be doing many miles per day on hard ground, he _may_ not need regular hoof care, and you could be lucky that your vet knows how & is able to trim his hooves, but... Generally, as with horses, donks need their hooves trimmed around 6 - weekly too. So good training/hoof handling is a must ASAP to get him good for a farrier. And it's best to do this, have him happily compliant, rather than have someone just 'wrangle' him, which will likely leave him to be more difficult to deal with in future - so make farriers less likely to _want_ to deal with him - a lot of farriers won't deal with donks because their lack of, or bad handling makes them far more difficult & dangerous. 

Do learn about hooves & what healthy donkey feet should look like at very least, as many farriers don't know about donks & they get trimmed badly. To that end, you can check out the thread link in my signature, and donkey hoofcare is one page you can find on donkey hooves.


----------



## Golden Horse

Hello, don’t mind me I was looking for baby donkey pics....


One? Who thinks ONE is OK!!


Sorry Op, I have no helpful suggestions for you, but good luck with the fluff ball.


----------



## loosie

^Yeah, I meant to mention that - donks, like horses, are herd animals and while he might be fine as part of a sheep herd, he might be lonely - and very noisy - being the only equine, so you might consider another donk or a pony or such.


----------



## emigkj07

Hi guys!! Thanks for all the advice so far, I do appreciate it! I should have added that we do have 2 horses and a pony, so I am familiar with equine basics, but not at all familiar with donkeys! The horses live in the pasture with the cows as one of the mares has heaves and cannot be kept in a dry lot. I never thought of bringing the pony up to be with him that is a superb idea! I read on one website that all donkeys really need is mature hay or straw. What are your thoughts on that? If I throw him a pound or so of 12% horse feed and free choice the straw would that be ok? I could add in a pound or so of alfalfa if needed. I did read that alfalfa was a no no but if given in small amounts to one that needs extra calories would that be ok? 
I have no more pictures as I worked this weekend so have only seen him for about 5 minutes. But I’m sure I will get some tomorrow. 
We are planning on gelding, no worries there! 
Do donkeys get dewormed just like horses? Same dose per pound? 
Thanks for all the help so far!


----------



## rmissildine

Need body pictures. We have a donkey, not a Jack. Two different animals. Jacks, while a close relative to donkeys are generally larger.
Donkeys are super easy keepers and do well on pasture grass and hay. We do feed our donkey just enough 12% for him to "smell" and keep him content while feeding the others. When I say "smell", that's what I mean, Not even a handful.
As far as worming, yes. All of our horses and the donkey get wormed each time the farrier comes to trim them, about every 6 - 8 weeks, and yes, it is given by animal weight. A weight tape is inexpensive, and should give you a close idea.
I would have a vet come out and give him a once over and offer any suggestions.


Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## loosie

emigkj07 said:


> website that all donkeys really need is mature hay or straw. What are your thoughts on that? If I throw him a pound or so of 12% horse feed and free choice the straw would that be ok? I could add in a pound or so of alfalfa if needed. I did read that alfalfa was a no no but if given in small amounts to one that needs extra calories ...
> Do donkeys get dewormed just like horses? Same dose per pound?
> Thanks for all the help so far!


Yes, like small ponies, they don't tend to need any 'high octane' feed, and *low sugar* grass or hay is fine. Along with an appropriate 'ration balancer' or whatever nutritional supp can provide what's necessary. Trouble with straw is, it's usually from oats or such, so sugars can be quite high, even though there is precious little nutrition in it. Free choice, if it's not in a 'slow feeder' or small holed net may be too much for him - and your pony - too. 

1lb of a horse 'complete' feed isn't much, so likely fine, depending on what it is, but I'd still be inclined to look at alternatives if he does need extra calories. Yes, alfalfa/lucerne is OK for that IMO - it's higher in energy but lower in sugar than many other options.

And yes, donkeys need deworming same as horses. They can respond differently to different drugs though, so on anything like that, best to find a vet who knows about donks, IMO.


----------



## LoriF

rmissildine said:


> Need body pictures. We have a donkey, not a Jack. Two different animals. Jacks, while a close relative to donkeys are generally larger.
> Donkeys are super easy keepers and do well on pasture grass and hay. We do feed our donkey just enough 12% for him to "smell" and keep him content while feeding the others. When I say "smell", that's what I mean, Not even a handful.
> As far as worming, yes. All of our horses and the donkey get wormed each time the farrier comes to trim them, about every 6 - 8 weeks, and yes, it is given by animal weight. A weight tape is inexpensive, and should give you a close idea.
> I would have a vet come out and give him a once over and offer any suggestions.
> 
> 
> Good luck and keep us posted.


A male donkey is called a jack and a female donkey is a jenny. Maybe you are thinking of a mule.


----------



## loosie

^Oh I didn't notice that. Yes rmissildine, an ENTIRE male donk is called a Jack. But LoriF, there are such beasts known as 'mammoth Jacks', which are a breed of very large(I think around 15hh) donkeys, and they do seem to call them 'mammoth jacks' regardless of sex, so maybe that's what rm is thinking of.


----------



## SueC

loosie said:


> ^Yeah, I meant to mention that - donks, like horses, are herd animals and while he might be fine as part of a sheep herd, he might be lonely - and very noisy - being the only equine, so you might consider another donk or a pony or such.


I just wanted to underline that. Donkeys are very sociable animals and do get lonely without interacting with their own kind. We have horses, donkeys and cattle, and the donkeys are always with each other - and two of them like being near horses too.



Don Quixote, Mary Lou, Sparkle.























They really enjoy having the insides of their ears rubbed. This is Ben, with his zebra stripes.

And greeting you when you're riding! Nelly and Ben.










They are unbearably cute, and they know it.



















Yours already has that :dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05::dance-smiley05: quality!


----------



## LoriF

loosie said:


> ^Oh I didn't notice that. Yes rmissildine, an ENTIRE male donk is called a Jack. But LoriF, there are such beasts known as 'mammoth Jacks', which are a breed of very large(I think around 15hh) donkeys, and they do seem to call them 'mammoth jacks' regardless of sex, so maybe that's what rm is thinking of.


Yes, but the creation of a mammoth jack is still a variety of donkeys from various parts of the world bred to create size. They are still donkeys. I guess the confusion would arise when one wants to start a registry and call a purebred animal by the same name as the male counterpart of a species. It still doesn't make them a different species though.


----------



## loosie

Which is what I said. "which are a breed of very large(I think around 15hh) donkeys,"


----------



## rmissildine

loosie said:


> ^Oh I didn't notice that. Yes rmissildine, an ENTIRE male donk is called a Jack. But LoriF, there are such beasts known as 'mammoth Jacks', which are a breed of very large(I think around 15hh) donkeys, and they do seem to call them 'mammoth jacks' regardless of sex, so maybe that's what rm is thinking of.


My bad. I was thinking of a mammoth Jack, sorry..


----------



## koda2004

We always deworm the same as with horses. As far as feed, our donkeys have lived on just Bermuda hay and pasture grass for about 2 years now. Because we feed the horses anyway, the donkeys get like maybe a 1/4 pound of feed a day just because they eat out of the horse bowls. Honestly being overweight is a way bigger problem than a little underweight, especially for donkeys.


----------



## AtokaGhosthorse

I'm just here for the pictures. Also, I've seen my first mammoth jack donkeys in the flesh this weekend. An acquaintance has them, hubs and I were driving the country roads for giggles, and there's here mammoths, all playing and acting silly, big as her horses and all wanting to run to the fence and say hi as we drove by ever so slow. 



The horses looked... like they've been irritated many times by the silliness of the big donks. LOL


They were gorgeous. Love donkeys!


----------



## Yogiwick

Came for pictures and info 

I do have sheep and just be aware donkeys are in general NOT good sheep guardians. First of all, they are ultimately prey animals so a determined predator isn't a good match (llamas also fall into this category) USUALLY not an issue but depends on your area. Secondly, donkey's aren't the easiest and friendliest animals. Many do NOT do well with sheep. Some donkey's are amazing guardians, if you have a low predator problem and the right donkey that may be all you need, but I would just keep it in the back of your head. I've heard lots of stories of people getting a donkey for protection and it ends up beating up the sheep instead. LOTS, including a guy who had a 30 miracle donkey, and attempted finding a replacement when he eventually passed and finally gave up on donkeys. He is cute either way! Worth a try.

I agree we need more pictures (for cuteness factor as well as a health assessment lol) and also agree an experienced mentor is invaluable, preferably a vet but if the vet isn't familiar with donkeys I would try to find someone in your area who is.


----------



## AtokaGhosthorse

Thread drift warning:

My boss was telling me about a rancher he knew years ago in Texas - dude was having massive coyote issues... and was battling mesquite tree encroachment on his cattle land.

He didn't go with donkeys... or emus... or llamas as guardians, nor ostriches...

He bought a truck load of MOMMA CAMELS from a traveling circus that was going out of business and needed to rehome their exotic animals. He bought every camel they had and all their babies. Said the mequite trees stopped being a problem, they hung out with his cows just fine, and if a coyote so much as considered crossing his place, those camels would chase them down and it would be a slaughter. You just had to stay clear of the camels... they hated everyone and everything but the cows. LOL


----------



## koda2004

Yogiwick is correct about them not always being super great protectors for sheep. However, they generally do better if raised with the sheep. I will tell you though that if you keep it in a pen with the horses and sheep that it will ALWAYS choose the horses! Even if they aren't in the same pen, but just close to each other, the donkey will still go try and hang out with the horses. If you are serious about having it as a protector it has to be kept away from the horses 24/7 and put in with the sheep. When you have a dog to protect your livestock it is the same thing, there has to be no other dogs around and generally to keep them happy with the sheep they need to be given very minimal human interaction. Basically the same thing with the donkeys, except for the human interaction part.


----------



## Yogiwick

^I love it!


----------



## Squeaky McMurdo

koda2004 said:


> Yogiwick is correct about them not always being super great protectors for sheep. However, they generally do better if raised with the sheep. I will tell you though that if you keep it in a pen with the horses and sheep that it will ALWAYS choose the horses! Even if they aren't in the same pen, but just close to each other, the donkey will still go try and hang out with the horses. If you are serious about having it as a protector it has to be kept away from the horses 24/7 and put in with the sheep. When you have a dog to protect your livestock it is the same thing, there has to be no other dogs around and generally to keep them happy with the sheep they need to be given very minimal human interaction. Basically the same thing with the donkeys, except for the human interaction part.


I’m going to have to disagree with the statement about the livestock guardian dog needing to be kept away from other dogs or it won’t want to guard. My experience is the opposite. Other dogs better keep away from her goats or they are toast. She can easily jump out of my fence and chooses to stay with them. She knows my Jack Russells since puppyhood and just sits on them if they misbehave and will also jump the fence to intervene if something is bothering my horses. I have a little Shetland that she feels needs protected from time to time. My mustangs randomly love her. I don’t know what it is. She can talk to them or something. She was laying with one of them before he would even let anyone touch him. But the key here is that she was raised with the goats with only a friendly pat from me when I fed her for the first month. Companionship was given to her by the animals she guards and she definitely would pick them over me any day. She’s trained to load in the car and walk on a leash if 8 need to take her to the vet. I think it will be the same with your little donk. Raise him with the sheep and let them be his comfort and he’ll see them as his herd when he’s grown.


----------



## Deodar

I have a donkey gelding, about 8 yrs old now. I got him when he was a year. He lived with my two mini goats and pet pig for a couple of years but then he started playing a little too rough with the goats, (he and the pig are still best buds though). I moved him in with my two mares and he is one happy guy. He's mostly just a pet but I have ground driven him. It's 100% true that there is no comparison in training horses and donkeys - they are a whole different story! Winston is doing well with my training though. He eats just plain hay with a small handful of a ration balancer mostly as a treat. He gets regular hoof trims and shots. Luckily my vet owns his half brother so she's well trained too. There are days when he won't come near you and days when he practically crawls in your lap, I haven't figured out the whys on that but he's a real sweetie and I'm glad I got him.


----------



## Dustbunny

"I just wanted to underline that. Donkeys are very sociable animals and do get lonely without interacting with their own kind. We have horses, donkeys and cattle, and the donkeys are always with each other - and two of them like being near horses too.

"
Sue C, Oh my gosh, these guys are cute! I would love to have one...or two but...


I'd have the vet check this baby over, do a fecal, get vaccinations, all the necessary stuff. I'd bet nothing has been done for the little fellow looking at that $25 purchase price. He's lucky to have you all for his family. Would love to follow his progress in reports and photos!


----------



## SueC

Yes, more photos please!


----------



## Stillstillthesame

Is he gelded? DO NOT put him in with your calves. He is not suited at six months to be a guard donkey, and may injure your calves. Only mature geldings and mature jennets are recommended, and only if they have been raised around cattle. Hopefully he was gelded while still on mom to reduce stress, otherwise you are going to have to wait until fall when the flies aren't as bothersome to get him castrated.


----------



## SilverMaple

It is essential to find and develop a relationship with a vet who has experience with donkeys. They do react to medications differently than horses, particularly sedatives. Especially for gelding, you need a vet who knows how to safely anesthetize your donkey for the procedure.


----------

