Our First Donkey!

[ThreeCFarm]

We just got our first donkey last night. Her age is unknown, but she has had at least two foals. She is approximately 45" tall. Here is Mama D:

Does she look to be at the right weight?

What do I feed her? I just moved into my new house, and only have a small area fenced. She is out there with my gelding, and there isn't much grass, and with winter approaching they won't have any soon. I'm putting out grass hay for them both, but will that be all she needs all winter? I also have the gelding on the Progressive Nutrition Diet Balancer.

She'll probably never be bred, but I would still like to learn what constitutes good donkey conformation. Can someone critique her for me? I'd like an honest critique, you won't hurt my feelings, I promise!

I'm going to read the other threads on here and so some online research on donkeys. We haven't really been around them before.

Thanks,

Stephanie

 

[Erica]

I think she looks in good weight - but not a donkey expert either. We have 13 mini donkeys and that is what I would consider an "ideal" weight, several of our jennies are much heavier but some are also in foal.

You can tell if they are getting too fat by their crest.

Ours are out on pasture and during the winter have free choice grass hay......the jennies that are pregant get whole oats and a 12% pellet. Most I have talked to are against giving donkeys sweet feed. I still wean my babies (donkeys) on Omolene 200 and oats mixed just like the horses.

 

[luvmycritters]

Congradulations on your new donkey! I think her weight looks fine. I am a new donkey owner myself and with that being said - I will not attempt to answer your questions, but leave that to the experts on this board. Enjoy your Momma D - I sure enjoy my Jasper!!

 

[dbarjminis]

She's a very attractive standard jennet! I'd say from that side shot, she appears to have very nice conformation. As long as she's not cowhocked in the rear (donks usually do tip in more than a horse should tho) and her legs are straight in front, she's a nice gal. The first sign of a fat donkey is the neck crest. They don't get a "humped" neck crest like a fat horse or pony, but it gets very thick and if it gets too big, it flops over to the side. They also get pads over the ribs and rump.

Good luck with her, Donkeys are wonderful!!!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Hi, and CONGRATULATIONS on your new longears family member!

I'm no expert either, but do have 7 donkeys, and from what I can see she looks to be in a good weight for her size. She also looks like she has a decent conformation. I do know most people are against giving donkeys any sweet fed because they are such easy keepers, but I do give mine a little with about 1/4 c of soaked beet pulp every day, they do have hay out constantly.You just have to watch that you dont feed them to much or they will develope a cresty neck. Corinne

 

[minimule]

She looks good!

For feeding........

Donkeys don't need a lot of protein. The high protein is what causes the fat pockets (or so I've been told) My 32" jack gets 2# of a grass hay 2x a day + 1 cup of Nutrena SafeChoice 2x a day. For the winter, I've started adding 1 cup of rolled oats at each feeding just to give him a little "extra".

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Thanks guys! The people that we bought her from had a lot of land, so she had plenty of grass to eat, as well as sharing the cattle feed. They sold her because she strongly prefers horses over cows, which is perfect for us!

My gelding seems to have decided she isn't too strange looking for them to be friends, LOL. He is more confident with her now, and even makes her stay away from the pasture gate if he thinks I have food.

dbarj, no she isn't cowhocked. I think she is a little close on the hind, but nothing major. She is straight on the front with good width.

She hasn't been handled much for the last few years, and she knows what a halter is, so last night I went out and "walked her down" in the pasture, then when she decided I was as stubborn as she is, she stopped and I caught her. Then I led her over to her feedtub with a treat in it. I want her to associate pleasant things with haltering. She is easy to pet all over her body, as long as you don't have a halter.

I love Mama D already!

 

[Trinity_Acres]

[SIZE=14pt]Congratulations Stephanie![/SIZE]

You and I have yet ANOTHER similarity. Would you quit copying off of me?!?

We too, just got our first pair of mini donks last month. They're now 5½ months old and still little guys. (They both fit in the back of my Suburban!) I'm hoping to get them gelded by the end of October. By then the flies will have disappeared. (I hope) I'm so in love with these little guys.

I'm finding that they are VERY easy keepers, incredibly loveable and smart. I have my babies on Omolene also. I'm no expert on confirmation or how and what to feed. But since they're weanlings I'm giving them the Omolene, a little rolled oats and free choice of grass hay. Our pasture pretty pathetic too since we've not had any rain. They've grazed it down terribly!

I think Mama D is absolutely gorgeous. VERY NICE! I think ya dun good! (Now does this mean I'm going to have to put some long ears on your business cards now??? LOL

)

Have fun with your new gal. I think she looks just right. Congratulations again!!!!!!

Janine

 

[ThreeCFarm]

Janine, I know, I don't know what it is, we just have so much in common! I've never "met" anyone that I had so much in common with.

You just need to move to OK, I bet we'd be best friends! We'd certainly never run out of things to talk about, that's for sure.

No, no donkey breeding plans at the moment, so I think the business cards are still accurate, LOL. Although, my husband did say he doesn't mind breeding donkeys, as long as we don't have any little mules running around (sorry mule people, just repeating my husband).

Mama D is so comical, I just love her antics.

 

[StarWish]

HA...the word I caught was "first"! Get ready, Stephanie! ALL of us can probably agree on "more will be in your future!"

She sure looks nice to me! She's a pretty girl!

Wait until you begin training her...my husband recently drove his standard donkey in a show the 5th time he ever wore harness! We've only owned him since July. Remember, they don't like practice nor do they need much in learning. They are so smart that they get it quickly and then, they know it and see no need to do it over and over! After about 6 classes (riding & driving) he learned the class is over when you go up to the judge so he just decided to go there early in the class! It was too funny and the judge loved it! Showing a donkey can never be too serious a thing! Relax, be patient and laugh! They are such fun!

StarWish/Colleen