Weaning advice

[GlacierRidge]

Let me first say I have weaned several horse babies...we bred QH's here for several years. But last fall, we had our first and only mini donkey foal, we have three mini donkeys and two mini horses kept together. The mini donkey foal, Katie, is 6 months old now, I did not want to wean her when it was terribly cold out, so I decided to hold off until closer to spring. I have been bringing her out and graining her separately...you'd have to know my set up to understand, they have a run in with wire panels (kinda like round pen panels, but solid wire panels), and I just bring Katie in and feed her her grain on the other side. Mom and baby are very independent now, I really don't see Katie nurse, but that's not to say she isn't.... and Katie would be fine with this brief "pseudo separation" except that mom goes NUTS. Absolutely NUTS. Pacing at lightning speed, slamming her head into the fence, really working herself up, and getting baby worked up then as well. I've resorted to tying mom up to stop her from doing this...she'll stand well for awhile, unless I go out of sight while doing chores, then she starts pawing the fence insanely. So, I see that mom is going to cause quite a stir with weaning.

I wanted to run this by you all. Mom has always been buddy sour. But now it's her foal, obviously. When I wean....I am considering leaving Katie out with the "herd" and separating mom. Having an odd number of donkeys, I can't leave one with one, and one with the other.... and I don't want to leave Katie (baby) alone with the mini horses...because I'm afraid they would pick on her. The donkeys kinda stick to themselves, and the horses usually stick to themselves. Katie and the other donkey get along fine....and being a baby, I don't think it's right to leave her alone with the two horses, or alone in a stall for weaning. The stall is very large...and such that mom and baby would not see each other at all. I know it would be stressful for mom....but at the same time....I'm wondering if it might be good for her as well. She has been alone before, before I got her, whereas baby has not. She only went insanely buddy sour since coming here and getting a donkey buddy.

Should I separate mom when I wean? Seems to be the only choice I have. The mini horses are out of the question for weaning buddies. They are all fine out together. But leaving only the baby out with them I'm sure would leave her being picked on and scared. Leaving one mini horse in the stall with mom would leave mom nervous....because she doesn't necessarily love them.

But with this brief separation just by fence for graining, mom goes absolutely crazy, and it's not getting any better. She won't eat, nothing. All she cares about is her baby on the other side. Yet when they're out....they are rarely together, sometimes mom will be in the barn, baby will be out with the others munching on hay....baby is quite independent. But mom is making her nervous.

Thanks for any input. Weaning time will soon be here...

Angie

 

[SSMFarm]

Oh the joys of weaning donkeys! Sounds to me like it is stall time for Mama! I have donkeys (not minis) for protection in with my minis and weaning has always been tough for me. Their "stubborness" (sorry I love my donkeys just as much as anyone else) shines through. In my experience it only takes a few days of Mama not seeing baby to fix the situation. I have one though and she takes at least a week. But, then she is completely fine to see her baby thru the fence. They will acknowledge one another and then it is life as usual. Good Luck! I had a jack born 10 days ago and I am already dredding the thought of weaning time LOL

Missy

 

[GlacierRidge]

Thanks for the reply, I really appreciate it!

Angie