When is a Donkey a Guardian

[cakadu]

Well, the little lady made it home here late Thursday afternoon and she is a pretty young girl at just over a year old. What I'm wondering is when some of you saw what the "guarding" potential was? So far, she has kept to herself, not so much by her doing but by the sheep. Every time they hear her bray, they take off. Some of the more brave ones are sticking around a bit, but I'm sure it will be a slow process to get them to bond, despite the fact that the poor thing is on her own right now.

I've noticed with the dogs that when she sees them she brays, doesn't necessarily start to kick, but knows exactly where they are at and if they don't leave, she will start to follow them and make the motions of going to kick. She hasn't been around dogs before, so I'm wondering if this is normal, or whether they absolutely hate anything canine right from the get go. I know there was coyotes around where she lived, so is it just the move and new surroundings, plus sheep that run from her that is making it a bit slow?

I quite like her already, but I'm told I that she's not her to be solely a pet.

[Ration-Al]

IF the donkey is acting as though the dogs are predators, she will likely be a good guard donkey. She should be kept with the sheep and sooner rather than later she will begin to bond with them. Donkeys are very sociable animals and want to be part of the crowd. If she is standing off by herself it is because she hasn't gotten adjusted to her new surroundings yet.
My first donkey brayed his head off everytime I drove in the yard because he was lonely. When I put him in with the calves the first fall it wasn't long until he was herding them around and content as can be. He usually had his favorites, and was a bit more agressive to the ones he didn't really bond with.

[cakadu]

That is good to know as I was beginning to get a bit concerned, although I'm sure it will take some time to adjust. There were a few sheep where she was at and her herdmate donkeys, so coming to our place where there are over 400 sheep, a snarky llama and all these dogs is likely more than just a bit overwhelming for her.

She does bray when she sees us and we are working our way to putting her in with the sheep so that she does bond with them. She has begun to follow me quite a bit because I have some apple and carrot for her. There is method in my madness because I am using the treats to get her closer to the sheep at night.

The sheep were very leery of the llama when he came and now they are bonded fairly closely with them. Me and the llama are another story though - a perfect grudge match if you ever saw one, especially if I go around touching his newborn lambs.

[cakadu]

careful of offering treats to the donkey.My two were getting treats daily, and then started to get in the habit of nipping fingers and trying to chew on jackets etc. if there were no treats present.
I always give them a pat and a hug which seems to please them as much as a treat. Donkeys dote on attention. If you can put the donkey across the fence from the sheep with no other animal near she will likely decide that spending time with the sheep is preferrable to being alone.
She will likely continue to bray when she sees you because she has already bonded with you.
One of my donkeys brays whenever he wants to let me know he isn't happy with me for any reason. If he doesn't like being kept in a pen in the barn for a day, or if he happens to think that he is being ignored ! The other donkey hasn't brayed in the two years he has been here.

[bombay_43]

Something I wanted to note, is that when I actually saw my donkey attack my neighbors dog, there was no signs of upcoming attack! She did not kick at the dog, but waited until the dog got close enough to sniff her, and she literally did a "donkey dance" on top of that poor dog!

Give her time, as stated above, donkeys love attention and she will eventually bond with your sheep! My cattle were scared of the donkeys to begin with, but it didn't take long, and they all get along now.

Hope she works out good for you.

[bombay_43]

That is good advice, donkeys don't think too long before they act if they think a predator is endangering anything they are guarding. The 'donkey dance' smarts, even from a miniature donkey as the neighbours dog can testify !!!

[kato]

It's true. Mine will quietly graze and all the time they are watching the dog. When the dog is close, then they are like lightning.

As well, it's as not much the kicking, more teeth and front hooves that is the main weapon.

We were bringing cows home this weekend, and sure enough one calf got under the fence in the chute and took off. Could have been a long job getting her back, because it's a bush pasture, but the donkey was outside the chute, and the calf cozied up to her, and when we were almost done, followed her back into the corral. For that one incident alone, it was worth putting the donkey in the pasture.

[kato]

no problem with stray dogs and coyotes around here since the first donkey arrived. THey are easy to move into pens or stalls in the barn when I need their pen for sorting cattle etc. They keep the grass and weeds down in the little area I have fenced off for them, It has a lot of trees in it and I used to be very worried about grass fires starting in the dead grass there but it looks like a park now. All they get in the summer is water and some salt and mineral, in the winter they get good grass hay, don't need top quality horse hay either.

[cakadu]

I think she is finally overcoming some of her shock at the move and being with sheep, but not "her" sheep. She is getting a little more attentive when the dogs are around and one of these days they are going to get the surprise of their life when she finally does kick one of them.

We've put her in with the sheep for the first time overnight last night and there doesn't seem to be any ill effects from that. I'll be able to tell more in the morning when I go out there after her second night with them.

What I was surprised to learn was that they have to learn to come into their bray, much as a young rooster must learn to crow. We thought she was just being really quiet, but maybe in time the decibel level on her bray will go up.

We're going to continue to pen everyone up at night until we see that she has more or less bonded with the sheep, then we'll see where to go from there.

Thanks for all the good advice and stories. I'm looking forward to her being here.

[cakadu]

She may have her 'favorite' sheep. One of my donkeys usually has his favorite calf each winter.

[cakadu]

What sort of salt and mineral is best for them? We have both for the sheep, but I don't know if that would be adequate for the donkey's needs.

She will have free access to the hay that the sheep get, which is a pretty good first cut. We generally will bring in 2nd cut for the last 6 to 8 weeks of gestation for the ewes, but with the way the hay situation went this fall, we may just stick with the first cut and get a little more barley.

The llama gets a small soup can of alfalfa pellets once a day (unless it is really cold) mixed with a bit of barley, but I don't know if the donkey will need that or even if she should get it. Actually, that is the only time the llama is friendly, when he knows it's time to get his pellets.

[cakadu]

Sorry, it should be when it's really cold he gets it twice a day.

[cakadu]

Linda, donkeys do not need alfalfa hay, they need a non dusty grass hay, and very very little grain. Keep an eye on the crest of the neck of your donkey, if a ridge starts to appear it is a sign that she is getting too fat, and could possibly founder. My two get grass hay and nothing else with the exception of a good mineral. The mineral you feed the sheep should be adequate.
The farrier comes every three months to trim the donkey's hooves and worms them twice a year, spring and fall.
The Donkey and Mule Association website has information on nutrition.
Donkeys like a shelter from rain and snow, but they do not need to be put into a barn, a three sided shelter will do fine. Their coat is thick and if they get wet, their coat doesn't dry out rapidly.

[kato]

That's true. Ours stay with the cows, and basically get the stray hay from the feeders. They don't require hot feed at all. I don't give them any grain, except for the odd treat. They do quite well in with the cows. As for minerals, whatever would work for a horse will work for a donkey.

We set up a corner in the shed that the cows can't get into, and the donkeys use it. (It's the same type of corner we use when the cows are calving so the calves can get a safe place to lay down.) They are good with cold, but wet and wind are hard on them. If I have a jenny with a foal, or yearling, they do get their own shed. Competition with the cows for hay is a little too tough for them.

Another important thing, donkeys absolutely cannot rely on snow. They need water in the winter.

Enjoy your donkey. Now the hard part is to stop at one. They tend to be 'collectables'. LOL

[cakadu]

She seems to be bonding with the sheep and there hasn't been any problems with her being housed with them at night as far as I can tell. Last night she went right to the 3-sided shed and laid down, so I presume all went well throughout the night. I've only heard her bray once in the night so far.

The grass hay they are getting right now seems to be pretty good, so she'll have plenty of that. The salt and mineral are always there free choice and the waterer isn't too far away from the feeding area.

We tend not to leave anything without water in the winter because I feel it just takes too much heat away from them to deal with the snow. It does get a little perplexing from time to time when the water is there and they eat the snow right beside the water, but at least it is always there.

I'm actually feeling a little left out because now the donkey doesn't come over as much for some scratching and stuff. I've tried to stay in the background while she bonds to the sheep because that is the most important thing. Maybe she's a bit miffed that the carrot and apple aren't coming out right now as she bonds.

Overall, I think she's settled in quite nicely. Now all we have to do is think of a name.