Weaning

[Love my donkeys]

My two donkey foals are now 7 months old and I know I need to wean them. I have been reading and it suggests that it is best to remove them from their mothers and take them to another farm because they have been known to jump fences, go through fences injurying themselves to get to their mother. It seems so harsh, can they be weaned gradually or does it have to be done cold turkey like the book suggests?

 

[pepperhill]

I think it depends what kind of fencing you have. In my situation, I can seperate them on two sides of a heavy corral pole gate so I have never had that problem. In my opinion, at 7 months they aren't getting too much from mom anymore and it is more of a security thing, or maybe just habit, so it may be quite easy to wean them. Especially if you have two weanlings that can stay together. I have done it two ways: I've kept them apart during the day and put back together at night for several weeks before seperating them all the way, and I have just done it cold turkey where I take them apart and that is that. I didn't notice that it was better one way or the other. They all adjusted just fine. In fact, the year I had two to wean, they didn't even spend much time at the fence wondering where mom was. I think it will go OK for you since you have two you can do together. Best wishes, Linda

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[Love my donkeys]

Thank you for your reply. They are my first weanlings and you know....they are just like a first baby! I want to do it right and not upset them to much.

Thanks, Krista