Newbie really needs help here

[I Heart Animals]

Hello everyone...here's the deal. My DH was set on getting a small herd of goats to put in our 2 acre pasture. However, a friend is selling his stable and has offered to give us 5 mini paints...a stallion, 2 geldings and 2 mares. (One of the geldings belongs to one of the mares and they've never been seperated.) He wants to give them to us because he knows my hubby takes great care of all animals and I spoil them rotten!

My employer has given me 2 donkeys, a jack and a jenny. They are very gentle. They aren't minis, but they are smaller than a standard donkey.

My question is, can I put the donkeys in the pasture with the minis? We live in Blue Ridge, Texas. The only predetors we have are coyotes and occasionally some stray dogs.

I really, really want the horses, but if they can't be pastured with the donkeys I'm afraid DH will decide on the goats.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[stormy]

You'll likely get differant answers here but I would never run a jack with mares esp with other male equines around. I have had 3 jacks and gelding them all, kept with geldings they were very rough, would bite their necks and ears and take them to the ground. The one jack went thru three fences to get to my herd of mares and absolutely terrorized them...no jacks here again ever!!

 

[chandab]

If you don't plan on breeding, you'll want to geld (castrate) the stallion and the jack. If you plan to breed, you'll have to separate the stallion from the jack as they'd be likely to fight over the mares and jennies. [Even with gelding, you could have problems incoorperating the horse herd and donkey herd together. It might be a while before either the stallion or the jack settle down after gelding; probably the jack moreso than the stallion.]

 

[Carolyn R]

All I can say is do your homework and I am going to be extremely honest, don't take them just because they are free. Take them because you fell head over heals in love with their individual personalities, or because you were going to take in some rehomed minis and know you had your heart set on getting a mini(s), or because you wanted to train them and put them in a better home essentially fostering them, don't take them because your your DH was really set on goats and these fell in his lap instead. Make sure whatever you choose, it is because you have a plan for them and you REALLY REALLY REALLY wanted to get some minis. They will eat much more than goats and as everyone mentioned....geld.

 

[MindyLee]

I agree, do your homwork. Also with only 2 acres, that really limits your space with 2 intact males which SHOULD be seperate and 5 others. Lots of critters for min space.

 

[amysue]

If your heart is set on taking the minis and donkeys in then it would be best to geld the stallions and jacks. Or you will a) have bred mares and b) have stallions and jacks fighting and beating eachother up. Possibly these individuals will give you the herd except the in tact males, or allow you to give the males away. You will be better off seperating them for everyones safety and comfort. Don't feel hard pressed to take them in because they're free either, the herd will cost money to feed and keep up, and where there is nothing wrong with keeping small equine simply for the pleasure of having them, and you do not need to feel pressed to make money breeding or exhibiting etc, be sure to inquire as to why they are being given away. You want to be sure there are no health issues that will escalate to becoming a burden or a money pit for you. If you do decide to take in all of the herds, just build a corral for each stud and jack until you geld them and give them time to adjust, as aged in tact males may exhibit stud behavior after gelding. Donkeys and minis get along together fine, and as long as the fence is tall and sturdy, goats will mix nicely too. My minis LOVE their goat and two mini jennies. If you do take them in, I am sure you will enjoy their company and as any with any new herd addition it will be trial by error. Good luck.

 

[Marty]

First, that's just too many horses for two acres and rotation..

I sold a horse a few years ago that I was very reluctant to sell. Although I checked out the home as much as possible, i was lied to. This idiot that bought my horse went home and turned him in with her mini jack who tore him to ribbons and crippled him for life. She then sold him. There's more to this story but I've been looking for him ever since. Please do not turn the minis out with the jacks.

And also, just in case you get goats, please don't put them in with minis either. Just recently there was a very bad case of a mare who had been gored severely by goats causing damage that could not be repaired. By all means, don't take on animals just because they are free. Like someone said, have a plan in place and one heck of a good shelter and safe fencing between for rotation purposes.

 

[Renolizzie]

All I can tell you is the goats will be a lot cheaper.

We have never paid a vet to give shots to the goats, we give them ourselves. [Okay, we could give the horse shots ourselves but then I wouldn't get a wellness checkup and have his teeth looked at and be sure he is getting the shots he needs for our part of the US].

We have never paid a farrier to trim the goat's feet, we do it ourselves.

We feed the goats left over garden goodies from the summer garden and cheaper alfalfa and they can eat any weeds they want to unlike the horse We buy more expensive grass hay for the mini horse. We have never bought pelleted food for the goats like we do the horse.

We don't run out there with fly spray for the goats like I do with the horse. The goats never cost me a dime for a cart and lead ropes and such.

What I am saying is that the horse is the best and I adore him and I have wonderful time driving him. I swear grooming him is like taking a valium it is so relaxing at least[i think it is since I've never had a valium] but I planned this into my budget very carefully because that little horse costs me money. He also takes time and effort.

Taking proper care of a horse is costly compared to goats. At least it is for me.

 

[shorthorsemom]

Love my goats. easier than horses and they ride in my car better than my dogs. haha. I can vaccinate them myself and can do their feet myself. They are awesome and cheap to keep. They eat weeds and stickers and poison ivy and the hay I get for my horses that is good but not perfect. You said you are a newbie. Trust me that I am not being critical here, just trying to be helpful, wanted to state that right off the bat.

You already have the jenny and jack you said. Honestly sounds like your two acres are already full. I wouldn't run goats with them personally, goats can be annoying and jump on donkeys and horses laying down, my goats are happy by themselves. I have two minis that are awesome in temperament and they love the goats as long as there is a fence between them, they will try to bite and run the goats if they are together. Two friends of mine have the same observation about goats and their horses. The miniature horses that sound like a great deal are somebody elses problem being dumped on you I think. They are tired of them or can't afford them and the market is so low they are gifting their problem to you. The smallest amount of money is buying the horse, keeping the horse is what will knock you for a loop. I have two minis and that is all I can afford to keep. I tried three, but was overwhelmed doing proper care and rather than cut the care, I opted to find a great home for one of them. You need to decide what you want more than anything... A couple of minis... a few goats or the jack and Jenny. To think about all three I think you will soon be overwhelmed. For the miniature horses, if you choose the stallion because he was so sweet and you loved him, you should geld right off the bat. Get to know the mini mares, are they friendly, sweet and worth the work it will take to keep them? Are the mares bred and running with that stallion, good question there, raising and breeding and birthing minis as a newbie is not easy. Think about the expenses before you take on that many mouths to feed. They will eat off all the grass in a few months. You will need to buy hay. Feet trimming can be quite expensive. I pay $35 each every two months for my boys. Vet bills, shots, worming, and dental floating on that many can rack up quite a bit of money. Think about all the poop. Will have to find a place to get rid of it if you dont have a field to spread it on. They will poop all over the pasture and lower the amount of edible grass. I have 4 goats and two minis in three small pastures. Plenty. Goats keep the weeds knocked off for the horses. I switch pastures back and forth so the goats eat down the weeds and then I move them out to let the horses graze some. Right now with spring grasses, I muzzle the horses for turn out. Start small, you can always build later. No jack and stallion with a fence to share. They need to be kept by themselves. Do you have decent fencing. What kind of shelters do you have. They will fight like the dickens and keep somebody out of a small run in shed. With two doors and two minis, my guys still play "king of the shelter" and run eachother out.

Sorry to throw so much at you, I am just typing and typing while my mind is whirlling. It took a piece out of me to decide to go from three minis to two minis because I loved my boy so much. He was the best candidate for rehoming of the three, but I loved him with all my heart and still do. I kept my sweet little toad crab muffin because I knew that nobody would love him and understand him like I do and I was afraid he would be abused elsewhere because of his very odd but loving personality. My other boy I share with my friend who is a breeder. you gotta go with your heart and not your head when dealing with these sensitive and sweet loving creatures that you invite into your life. Goats are new for me and now I can't imagine life without them. go figure. take care and keep us posted and chin up, you will get lots of feedback here on this topic I imagine. ps edited to add I didn't mean not to include the geldings. Thought all were mares. Love my geldings. Geldings and goats and rotate pastures but fence in between is what I have.

 

[Margot]

We have 15 minis, 22 boer goats and 2 big horses on about ten acres of divided pasture. The goats go out with the big horses not the minis and we have had no problems. 2 acres is not a lot, if it is weedy and brushy goats will clean it right up. If you have more property that is brushy or woods turn the goats in that and you will soon have more grass. I have heard many stories of jacks injuring or killing minis so I would not put one in with minis. I love my goats , they are friendly, funny and as mentioned before cheaper to care for than minis. We give all our own shots anyhow but goat shots are less expensive than horse vaccines, they do have to be watched and possibly wormed more often than the horses. Good luck with whatever you do.