# Urgent- will john donkey kill baby



## Corporal

I'm not a donkey owner, but I would say, yes, he will kill the foal. Stallions or Jacks fight off competition and only protect what they think is their own get. Even then, mares, or jennies in a herd will protect the foals, and sometimes it's against their own Stallion or Jack.
Why don't you cut him?


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## sherie

He is a gelding. That is why I thought is would be okay


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## Corporal

He STILL wants to take out the foal, judging from your description.


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## MangoRoX87

The foal hasn't been born yet.
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## Saddlebag

Can you not put her in a stall and walk her? If he'd been used for breeding prior to castration then yes, he will have stallion traits. Why some try to kill the foal is to bring the mare back in to heat.


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## littrella

he will probably go after the baby. Keep them seperated! put more wire up so he can not reach through


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## Endiku

'john' is a term for a gelded donkey, for those who do not know.

That being said, OP, do not put your jenny in with him under any circumstances until she has foaled and the baby is old enough to fend for itself (older than weaning age.) Donkeys can be VERY territorial and will not stop at killing a baby, or injuring mama/causing miscarriage when they're working things out.

We had three donkeys for a while. A jack who stayed separate, and two johns, all minis. At that time we did not realize how territorial or possessive donkeys can be, and we allowed our mini mare and her three week old colt to be in a pen with the older john, who was very mellow and quiet around other horses and donkeys. Thank goodness we didn't leave them alone because while they seemed to get along just fine for about ten minutes, grazing and minding their own business, after a little while the john seemed to notice the colt, perked up, and suddenly went on a mad dash towards the colt and grabbed him by the neck. My boss's son immediately jumped in the pen to save the colt, but when he kicked the john and tossed the colt out of the way, the john actually turned his aggressive on the boy. Donkeys do not let go after they have sunken their teeth into something. It took my boss and two other adults to get the donkey off of the boy, and by that time he had five DEEP bite wounds on his arm down to the bone, and two on his face. He ended up having to have two surgeries, drainage tubes, and a ton of therapy to restore his arm, and they even dug two teeth fragments out of his arm. He contracted TB (skin form) from the bites as well, and nearly lost the arm. He still has terrible scars from the incident. The donkey was shot that day.

I'm not saying all donkeys are that jealous or aggressive towards babies, but some definitely are. We had NO idea the john would ever do that to a colt OR a human. He was friendly and even used in a petting zoo beforehand. 

That being said, our other john that we still have, James, is a great babysitter for the yearling minis and has never acted aggressive towards anything. He's low on the totem pole. It sounds like your guy is already exhibiting 'studdy' behavior even though he's cut though, so I wouldn't risk it. I wouldn't even let them share a fenceline unless it is VERY strong and he can't get his head through to grab the baby.


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## Skyseternalangel

Yeah I'd reinforce that fence with some chicken wire so he CANNOT get his head through if you have to have them sharing a fence line. Just not safe... I don't even have experience with donkeys but from what you're describing here:



> At first I thought he was being agressive as he was *running around her pen with his ears back and sticking his head through the round pen*. Now I think it is just that he wants to be in with her as he comes and *stands at her pen most of the day*.


I am inclined to say that is not friendly behavior.


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## sherie

This does not sound good at all. I guess I will call the lady that I got her from and see if she will take her back. I am sure she will not reimburse me but from what you guys are saying I just cant risk having them.


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## sherie

I called the lady that I got the Jenny from. She said that she keeps standards and mini's together at her house with no problems. We went to another pasture with only mini's when I got this Jenny. She says that the Mama wont let the baby get close to the fence and that Homer will not be interested in the baby. She says he just wants to get to know the Jenny but said not to put them together until the baby was at least 4 weeks old and then to introduce Homer and the Jenny on a lead rope first. She also said that she did not think that Homer would hurt the Jenny as she would kick the snot out of him. I am still concerned
. Obviously she is not planning on taking the Jenny back.


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## Endiku

Being that she won't take the Jenny back, (and good on you, by the way, for having the decency to want what is best for this gal and her baby, even if it is at your expense) there are some things you can do to keep them at least saf_er_.

What is your stall/paddock set up like? What kind of fence do you have? Can you just keep it divided and put some chicken or goat (we use goat) wire on the fence, or some electric tape, to keep Homer away from the baby? How big is Homer? How big is mama? If you can keep mama and baby away until the baby is at least 4-5 months old, I think you might be ok if you only let them meet each other under CLOSE supervision. I would still only let mama in with Homer personally, and either sell the baby or keep it away until its almost to its normal size.


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## sherie

This situation was certainly not what I intended for the new Jenny and her baby. It sounds like the baby will never be able to go to the pasture if it stays with us and may not even be safe in the round pen unless we put up some other type of wire. I already feel sorry for the Jenny having to stay in the round pen and cant imagine her and the baby having to stay in a pen until the baby is weaned. Even if I waited that long it would still be risky as no way to tell if Homer will hurt the baby or not. I am afraid I will have to give her away. I have a friend with horsses and pasture that may take her but before I decide I am going to try and get in touch with Homer's former owner. He came from a lady that raised Icelandic horses and donkey's. Maybe she will know how he acts around babies.


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## natisha

Round pen panels alone aren't safe for a mini baby even without the donkey on the other side.


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## Muppetgirl

If the John can't behave himself I'd put him in the round pen:wink:


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## sherie

Wow... Never thought of that. So for now I either have to fence in my round pen so the Jenny and baby will be safe or lock Homer in the round pen and put the prego Jenny out with the horses. Guess she would go down to the pasture with them in the am and come up to the paddock with them in the pm. Unless of course she decides to have the baby in the pasture. Alsoif I lock Homer up he will no longer be able to protect them from the dogs and cotes. 
I am really in a mess.


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## sherie

Do donkey usually have their babies at night? Wonder if I could stall her at night. The lady I got her from told me not to stall her as it would stress her but I am worried she could have the baby at any time


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## dbarabians

Your jenny will keep the foal away from the male donkey especially if they are separated. She will keep her body between the foal and the fence.
No donkey we have that has foaled has ever had the foal killed by a male donkey. They all live in the pastures with the cattle and with 2 females and 4 males I think they would have tried something.
the dominat male donkey does keep the other males at a distance.
I have never seen a stallion or a gelding attack a foal and my horses foal in mixed herds in pastures.
keep the foal seperated but within sight of the male donkey for a few days to a few weeks. He will accept that foal when you do allow them together.
Shalom


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## sherie

Thank you... That is what the lady I got the Jenny from told me when I called back with concerns. Homer is acting much better towards the Jenny now. They are touching and licking through the round pen. If she would keep the baby away from his reach until he got used to it I would hope that Homer would accept it but so many have said no, that I am worried.


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## dbarabians

You have asked an experienced breeder and she told you what to expect.
Donkeys are not savage foal killing machines. They protect other livestock so their instincts are to protect the herd.
also if it was so the wild burro population would not be as plentiful. Would it?
Relax.
since they jenny and homer have not been introduced keep the foal separate for the first few days. If Homer acts agressive keep them separate longer.
Those male donkeys of ours have never attacked a calf or foal . In fact they baby sit and play with them. Shalom


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## Endiku

The difference lies in whether or not the foal belongs to the male donkey or not. If it does, then I see less problem with it, especially if mama is left in with the male for the entire time. A new jenny bred to an unknown jack though? I definitely wouldn't risk it.

I'm curious as to why a round pen panel is not considered safe though? My mare's foaling pen was made of mini sized (4 foot instead of 6 foot tall) panels, and I never had a problem. I did have a problem however, when I put them in a board pen which had panels with no lower board. My mini mule filly got herself lodged under it and scraped up her poor little belly.

OP, you know your jack better than us, and its your choice. I would not risk it myself, but maybe I am too cautious because of the incident with our john, who has NEVER shown any signs of agression until the day he attacked first the colt, then the young man. If you do decide to put them together though, I'd still wait at least a month or two and introduce them very slowly. Don't leave them together even if they look like they're getting along until they've met face-to-face at least a 3-4 times.


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## sherie

I thought the round pen would be safe too but decided not to take any chances so went and got some galvanized wire mesh (size of chicken wire) that is 24 inches high and will put it around the bottom of the round pen this afternoon. The bottom of the round pen is a little high off the ground in some places and I dont want the baby slipping through or Homer biting him. After about 2 feet the rails are close enough together that Homer can not get his head thru. Near the top they are wider again but then it is high enough that he would not be able to reach down. 
I will keep the Jenny and baby in the round pen until Homer gets used to the baby and then depending on how he acts will decide if I can chance putting them all together. It is not Homer's baby but he is gelded so I am hoping he will not be agressive toward the baby once he accepts him. I have to be careful though especially since he is a Standard donkey and the baby will be a mini. When Homer plays with the horses he bites their necks hard..
*******Okay, new problem that I need help with. The lady I got the Jenny from said it would not stress her to move her but she is off her feed. The lady told me to give her grain because she is prego and the first week she did eat her grain. She is now leaving the grain but is eating hay. She also loves carrots. No signs of colic. I dont know if she is stressed because she is at a new place and locked up in a pen vs a pasture with her friends or if this is a sign that she is getting ready to birth. Homer and the horses go to the pasture in the am and I can tell she does not like being left. However Homer does answer her when she calls and he also comes up and spends a good bit of time standing by her pen during the day. 
The lady I got her from did not give me a time when she should have the baby. She leaves the Jack in the pasture with the Jenny's. There were 4 Jennys ( including Sugar) and two had recently had their babies. #3 looked like she was going to pop so I chose Sugar who was obviously prego but her belly was smaller. The lady told me she had a baby before and that she is around 4-6 years old. However I think she could be older as her bottom lip is kind of droopy like my old Appy's was.

The lady also told me that their Jenny's have the babies in the pasture but I cant allow that at this point so we put a shed with big shavings in it in case she wants to have it inside

I cant tell you guys how much I appreciate all the knowledge and advice you guys have been kind enough to give. I would certainly welcome any more suggestions andd recommendations.


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## dbarabians

I would leave homer outside her pen with hay for him.
I do not and have read that donkeys do not need grain only good forage or hay.
If she is eating then I would not worry.
Sending the others to the pasture will indeed stress her out.
This is also a good way to start bonding homer and the jenny. Shalom


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## sherie

Great idea. I will get the lower fencing up today and start leaving Homer up in the paddock with her. Guess I wont give try to give her grain but do find it strange that she does not want it. Homer gets a tiny bit of RB along with the horses and he sure never wants to miss out.


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## Endiku

Kudos to you Sherie, for doing so much to ensure the wellbeing of mama (does she have a name, by the way?) and the baby. Not everyone would put the care into it that you are.

Without trying to assume too much (could be wrong), I really don't feel like the lady you got your Jenny from is what we call an 'experienced' breeder as some have called her. The fact that she isn't preg-checking the donkeys for at least approximate due dates is the first indicator to ME anyways, and the fact that she didn't seem to worry at all about whether or not Homer would get along with your girl, the Jenny's real age isn't known...I don't know. And then to add the fact that she told you the Jenny would not be stressed by her journey? Doesn't add up to me. I'm not saying she doesn't have quality animals or that she's just in for the money, but those are all 'high alert' things that I noticed and that make me think that your jenny has likely not had any prenatal care whatsoever, and that this lady's word should not be taken as law.

Equines DO get stressed by being taken out of their environments, and its hard on them to varying degrees. Some take it very hard, some are just a bit nervous for a day then settle in fine. I would say that as long as your girl isn't refusing hay or water, and doesnt look thin, don't worry much. Offer the grain, but don't push it. If she needs it, she'll take it. Is it the same grain she was getting at her old home?

Also, I wouldn't go by belly size for how far along she is. Its different for each animal. One of our mares swells up HUGE like a blimp by the beginning of the third trimester and looks like she's going to pop for 3-4 months before foaling. Another seems to grow vertically, so her belly starts to look almost 'hay belly' or 'wormy' (minus ribs) but rarely gets any wider. My own mini mare stayed very small throughout her pregnancy, and did look pregnant at the end, but still wasn't big enough for someone go to "WOW, she's going to foal any time now' and she even went over by 3 weeks!

Make sure that you call your vet as soon as your girl foals, so he/she can check it's health, make sure milk is coming in ok, etc. Also, don't let your donkey eat her placenta and save it until the vet gets there so that he can make sure your jenny passed the entire thing. If she doesn't and he doesn't help her, she can get a uterus infection and potentially die.


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## Dustbunny

I have stayed out of this thread because I know zip about donkeys...except I love their adorable faces and long ears and often funny little legs. Now I am caught up in this Homer and the jenny and the impending foal story.
You sound like a very good "mom" for this family you have. 
Please post photos when the baby arrives.
Sorry I have no advice.


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## Aggs

Holy Crap! Endiku, that's a scary story about some donkeys!


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## sherie

Well, not feeling like a good Mom at this point. I know that horses are stressed by change of enviorment so I should have known that a pregnant donkey would be too. We are calling her Sugar as she is so sweet. She had some awful sores on her legs ( flies )when I got her and she allowed me to put MTG on them and even on her back legs. She is a good girl.
Poor thing, I hate I have put her in this position. I did get the fencing up so that the baby will be safe so somewhat relieved. Called the lady that I got her from this weekend to try and see if she had any idea when Sugar will have her baby. She really does not know and says that the one that was about to pop still has not had her baby. Told her that Sugar was not eating the grain (although she did eat some initially) and verified what type grain she was getting. She told me again that it was sweet feed and said not to give her any for a day so I tried that but she still is not eating any grain. I am not a fan of sweet feed as all my horses and Homer get is an RB which I have been mixing( a very tiny amount) with the sweet feed. Maybe she does not like the RB but I just dont know. She also said she is likely full with grass and hay. Well the round pen had grass in it when I got Sugar but she has eaten it down so she really does not have much grass which I told the lady. I also told her I thought I saw Sugar eating some dirt????? She said that she was likely eating grass roots. I dont think so.
********Now for the story of the day
Was worried that Sugar needed grass adn was used to being in a pasture before so decided to try letting her go down to the pasture. Homer has been very good for over a week now. He has not tried to go after her thru the fence and they stand right together on the fence line. I had seen them touch noses and he lips her through the fence and she does not move away. So while the horses and Homer were in the pasture we walked her down on a lead line and I carried the whip. When we first got down in the pasture everyone crowded around her, smelling her and then the horses walked away. Homer stayed fairly close but made no agressive moves so we let her off the lead in to the small field. Our pasture is separated in to 3 sections so that we can rotate when needed. Right now all the gates are open so let her go in the first pasture. She was so happy and started trotting toward some tall grass and Homer followed her. At first seemed all was well but when he caught up to her he grabbed her on the back so she started trying to get away from him...OMG, scared us to death so we started after them to break it up. Homer let go of her back but she kept trotting so he trotted beside her biting at her front legs. We got her out of there right away and sent her and the horses up the lane while I kept Homer at bay behind the fence. I checked her and there were no bite marks and not even any hair loss. I really think he was trying to play since it was not really a bite but was afraid to take a chance in case he did get rough. He leaves terrible bite marks on the horses necks sometimes from playing. He also goes for the horses legs when playing but never any obvious bites on their legs. My other concern was that even if he was just being playful which is typical for him, he would run her around to much for her condition.
Now I dont know what to do. The strange thing was that she never tried to kick him which the lady told me she would do. Now I am back to square one and Poor Sugar is back in the round pen.

I called our Vet's office first thing this am and left a message for the one that has donkey's and mules to get her opinion but so far no return call.

What do you guys think?


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## dbarabians

When the donkeys play and greet each other here they nip at the legs .
I too think Homer was playing but since I was not there to see his reaction and body language I cannot give a firm answer.
keep introducing her a little at a time and allow them to visit over the fence.
dont rush the situation and take your time.
What often appears to be rough and cruel behavior in animals is just their way of interacting. Shalom


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## Endiku

Take the sweet feed away completely and don't worry about her not eating it. Sweet feed is bad for her anyways, and can cause her to founder. I have no clue why her breeder was feeding that stuff to her, especially pregnant. Offer extra hay if you can, and keep offering the ration balancer (sometimes if you mix it with unsweetened apple sauce or something they'll be happier to try it, then you can wean them onto just the RB) but don't fret too much if she won't eat it. Donkeys thrive on medium to low quality grass hay and she should be just fine. If she needs the RB, she'll eat it. Also, are you offering her a salt/mineral block? If not that is probably why she's trying to eat dirt. If you're worried you can buy some psyllium or sand clear and give her a few power doses of that to clear her GI tract of any dirt she has injested, and buy her a red mineral block and a white salt block to lick. If she's missing something in her diet she'll take what she needs from it. Is she drinking alright? Thats what I'd be most worried about at this stage.

I wouldn't listen to much that her old owner has to say. I'm convinced now that she's just your run of the mill backyard breeder. A professional would not be feeding their stock sweet feed as a 'grain' for pregnancy and foal development.

Sweetie (cute name by the way!) did not kick because she is new to the herd and thus at the mercy of what they decide about where she fits in the herd. Normally a little bit of roughness at first wouldn't be a huge deal, and they would likely work it out among themselves within a day or so with a few small bites and kick marks, but its different because she is not only pregnant, but also most likely in her third trimester.

Homer was likely trying to establish his dominance, not play. I rarely see equines play as soon as they've been introduced, unless they're both young males. It could be that he was trying to play, but I still wouldn't risk it. Even so, he should not be permitted to 'play' with her, because she is a mini and he is a standard. Even if she wasn't pregnant. Its one thing for her to be big enough to say 'enough is enough' and put him in his place, another when she is much smaller than he is and subject to whatever he decides to do. Don't introduce them again until she has foaled and the baby is bigger.

It may seem cruel to keep her in that round pen, but its better than risking her injury or the baby's death. She may be a bit lonely or bored, but she won't suffer as long as she has some sort of protection from the elements. we've put a tarp over part of the round pen before to serve as a shelter. Its crude, but it works and keep wind/rain/sun off their backs. Make sure to put the tarp blocking wherever the wind generally comes from in your area. Let her out to stretch her legs as much as you can, on a lead line, but then put her back. She's small and the round pen is probably ample room for her to walk or trot around a bit if she feels the need to, and it will keep her safe for now.


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## sherie

She has both the red mineral and a salt block in the round pen already. She has shelter, a metal building in the shady part of the round pen. It was actually a storage shed with a raised floor but with just metal strips on the bottom so we put down plyboard to make a real floor and put the large pine shavings/chips in. She stands in it which surprises me since I have to drag Homer in the barn even in bad weather. She has been drinking so no worries there. I will get some applesause and mix a little RB in and see if she will eat that. 
*Vet finally called back and said that I should try introducing her and Homer together without the horses around. She does not think he will hurt her but there is always a chance especially if HIS herd is around. That never occured to me because the horses went to the other side of the pasture. Anyway she thinks it would be better to introduce them now, before she gets further along in her pregnancy So the plan for now is to just take her down in the afternoons by herself so she can get grass and get used to the pasture and then try again this weekend to let them be together without the horses. I worry she may have the baby down there but since they normally have the babies at night and I bring all up for the night. I am hoping that wont happen. My other option is to just keep her penned up all the time but Vet thinks it would be better for the baby if Homer bonds with Sugar before hand. Forgot to ask her about the dirt


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## sherie

Thank you Endiku... The applesauce worked like a charm. Now she is eating her RB so I feel much better.


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## Endiku

Fantastic! I'm glad I could be of help. Once you feel comfortable, you can weak down the applesauce (make sure you're getting non sweetened. A little sugar won't hurt, a lot might cause some issues if its used consistently) and add more RB. She'll get used to it ^_^ 

That's actually how I'm convincing the filly I care for that beet pulp is food. Applesauce! lol.

For the record, I don't think you're a bad mom at all. Horses (and donkeys) throw us difficult situations sometimes, and from the sounds of it, I don't think you're doing half bad. She has donkey friendly food unlike when she was getting sweet feed, shelter, someone to doctor her, and a place to foal safely. Sounds pretty darned good to me!


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## sherie

Oh yes, I got the unsweetened..Starting her real slow on the RB since she really has not eaten hardly any of it yet and apparently has never had it before. Mixed with 3 tbs applesause last night and this am. Once I get her up to speed on the RB will start reducing the applesause. My horses get 1lb total RB per day and Homer gets maybe a total of 1/3 lb so based on weight she would get even less. However not sure if she should have more while prego. Guess I need to check the bag and see if it mentions anything about that. Do you know if she should get more. Not right away of course but once we work up to it, Do you think she should get more because of carrying the baby? I want to do what is good for her but not make her fat. Apparently she was fat at one time because she has the fat roll on her neck.


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## Endiku

Great! Sounds like you're doing everything right so far. I'm not 100% about how much RB to give a pregnant donkey so you might want to ask your vet for a recommendation if the bag doesn't say anything, but I'd say getting her up to 1/3 of a pound (that's about a cup and a half right?) for now will be good. She'll need to build herself up to be ready for when the foal drops. The lactation stage is when most girls start losing condition. I'd give her free choice hay while she's lactating, and start decreasing it to maybe just a cup later when you're weaning.

Eating RB is probably a big change for her. She went from pretty much eating candy every day to eating veggies, and she probably isn't too fond of the taste yet. That's where the applesauce helps. The naturally appealing flavor and fructose in it is a little closer to what she's used to, and makes for a great transition element. Works great for crushed pills and powder supplements if you ever need those, too.

What kind of shape are her hooves in? If she was fat before, you might want to see if your farrier can find any signs of founder in her when he next comes out. Hopefully she hasn't but if she has, you'll need a plan of action to keep her from foundering again and to potentially do corrective trimming as well. Donkey feet are very hardy and donkeys are the long suffering sort, so they usually won't let you know if they're hurting until its severe.


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## sherie

Suprising enough her feet "look" real good One of her back feet is a little long but not near as bad as some I have seen. My farrier is due week after next and I will have him trim her and do a good check to see if she has any issues that need to be addressed. 
Thank you so much for all your help and support.


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## sherie

Well Sugar is back to not eating anything but some hay. Hubby fed up for me last night as I worked late and he put more grain than applesause so Sugar figured out what the deal was. Tried this am with tiny bit of RB and 3 tbs applesause but no go. Gave her a couple of carrots last night while medicating her legs but still worried that she is not getting what she needs. Round pen is now out of grass so will be putting her in the back yard in the pm so she can get grass every day until we can get her in the herd this weekend. Thank goodness it is a 4 day weekend for me. Hopefully we can do more introductions with Homer and by the end of the weekend she can go to the pasture during the day for grass.
*Any ideas on what she will eat that is good for her until we can get her on grass?


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## Endiku

Bummer :/ I forget sometimes how smart donkeys are!

Maybe if you're set on introducing them, introducing Homer into HER territory rather than her into HIS (the pasture), and introducing the horses to her one at a time would be a better idea. Less chance of him or the others getting all defensive. 

Try some grass hay pellets if you can get them. In my area its $12 for a 40lb bag. Don't get alfalfa though, just timothy. Wet them a little bit, and try feeding them to her. I really think she'll be just fine on hay and what grass you can give her, though. If you feed her a grain, go with something that is low in sugar and protein content. This is the only donkey suppliment I could find but it doesnt have a price on the page. Kohnke's Own Horse Health Care

Purine Miniature Horse and Pony feed might be ok since it is formulated for minis who have similar (but not the same) nutritional needs as a donkey. I'd only feed 1 - 1 1/2 lbs and theres no guarentee she'll eat it...its low in sugar as are all feeds that are suitable for her.


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## sherie

Yep, she is a smart little cookie..
Actually it is not that I am set on introducing them, it is that the options are either she spend the rest of her life in a round pen with no grass, or I have to get rid of her. I already tried to give her back to the lady that sold her to me for free but she would not take her as she is downsizing. If I find her another home it seems like it would just be more stress on her. The Vet (she owns donkey's and mules) said it is better to introduce them now before she gets further along in her pregnancy. I asked the Vet about introducing them in the round pen or even the paddock without the horses but she said a bigger area would be safer. Also to do it on a warm day vs a chilly or windy day and not after a rain in case she would slip and fall. Not at all worried about the horses as when I put her in the pasture before they could care less. The Vet said that with the horses around Homer will be more protective so to try introduction in the pasture without the horses. We will be there to intervene again. 
Of course if Homer does not bond with her, she will stay in the round pen until after the baby is born and I will have to find them another home.


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## GrowMap

I feel compelled to add a warning to this thread even though it is quite old to hopefully save someone else from losing a foal. The mini jack not even waist high killed a yearling quarter horse colt that was about a month old. 

He has always run with his herd of mini burros in the same pasture as a herd of horses with a stallion. The horse stallion died just before the foal was born. 

The jack was very aggressive to a thoroughbred gelding in the pasture, but it never occurred to me that he might actually be trying to kill it. The gelding is over 16h and the jack is very short - about waist high. 

Since this tragedy occurred I have read up about jacks and apparently any changes to the herd can cause them to become aggressive to humans, foals, and even adult animals. The colt was almost twice as tall as the mini and was running with five adult horses, but that didn't save him. 

I will never trust a jack of any size ever again. Many breeders keep them separate even from any jinny bred to them. While I know that some horse stallions will kill foals that aren't theirs, that is not common. Who knew a miniature jack could kill a horse foal?


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## Mulefeather

It's prudent to keep the foal away from horses OR the other donkey until it is bigger. While Momma may do a good job protecting it, you also don't want to risk the baby getting between an altercation between Momma and the other donkey. 

Once the baby is bigger, you can slowly introduce the pair. If Homer was the only donkey on the place before, he may just be super-excited to see another donkey, and be acting studdish as a result.


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## Saddlebag

Killing a male offspring is fairly common in animals. The reason is to bring the female back in to heat. If she's nursing it takes almost until weaning time before she begins to cycle again. An in tact male sees any male, yes, a gelding, as a competitor and isn't about to share his ladies. Geldings often get an awful beating because they are no longer driven by testosterone. In tact males need to be kept alone or in with the ladies only but separated before birthing time.


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