Where do your donkeys foal out?

[GlacierRidge]

I'm wondering if you foal out your donkeys in stalls, or turned out together, or ????

I only have two, but one is due, and she is the one who is very dependent on her buddy. Im thinking I will have to take my big stall in the barn and put a partition inbetween and keep them both in. But I've heard of some people just letting nature take its course outside, amongst "the herd," no matter how big or small that may be.

As for foaling kits...just out of curiousity...is there anything different that one would put in there for minis, or donkeys? We've had many foals born here....but never small ones, nor donkeys!

Oh this is going to be ONE LONG SUMMER! You all are going to have to be photo posting fools for people like me!!!!!

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

Hi Angie, I have had foals born both in stalls and outside with my herd of mini horses. I NORMALLY try to get then in stalls, and under the camera, and have the equipage on them...BUT~~ it just dont always work like that for me, with the donkeys! I had Ella in the barn for 3 weeks watching her like a hawk, Snickers was her first, she went out every day for excersize and back in, I was so sure she was having him..every day for 3 WEEKS..all the signs were there everything, had the moniter on her, under the camera at night, or during the day when she was in. Finally, I thought ..this is it, I am not keeping her in any more..turned her outside with the rest, took off the moniter (only because I took her halter off while she was outside!!) went in the house and not even 15 minutes later...you guessed it! She had Snickers, right out in the drylot with all the rest of the gang standing around looking at her. Then with Clementine, she was my starved and beaten rescue with the broken pastern, we only had her about 6 weeks, and had no clue as to when she would be due IF she was even bred. .. I went to the barn and found a beautiful rose-roan jack standing at her side, she had no signs, I do have all box stalls. The only clue we had to her possible being bred was when we loaded her into our trailer she looked like she V'd, Bob (hubby) just said she wont be able to sustain a pregancy in her condition...she was that skinny no one even knew or thought she was bred. But, alot of PolyVi Sol and 6 weeks later, we had our WeeBit.

I have had no problems with them foaling in the stalls or in the pasture. My herd of mares is 25, plus the jennets. So its not a small herd. I think its healther for them to foal outside, but also feel its safer inside under cameras so you can catch, if something is going wrong. Donkeys do not have a high tolerance of pain. OH! My foaling kit is the same kit I use for my mares. When is she due? Corinne

 

[h2t99]

Hi Angie, Mine have all been born outside, or in a small pen. My first 2 jennies are very bonded also and do not like to be away from each other, so I do let them stay together. Not in a stall, although my pen is about 30x20, so they are in an enclosed area. Once she foals she may get upset about her buddy being close, but does not want her to far!

That is how one of my jennies is the first couple of days and then she is back to having a fit if seperated!!! If she is due in the summer I would let her foal outside, and just try and watch her!! I agree with Corinne, they have a very low pain tolerence, I have had to help so far on all 3 donkey babies I have had!!

 

[GlacierRidge]

Thanks! Was not aware of the pain tolerance! Thankfully we've not had any issues! She is not due for 5 more months yet....

I think what I'll do then....her buddy can be a brat, I just worry about how she'd react to the foal. I have a 10 x 20 stall in the barn, solid walls. If I made a wall to put in there to separate them, think that would be large enough for her for foaling? That way, they'd be together, but still separate.

I also have a camera, which I will have glued to her....this year, I'd like to try to get it online, so that if I'm working (work from home, office is in basement) and my roommate is working, we can still keep a close eye on her.

My roommates TB mare is due at the same time....(not planned that way!) so we'll both be watching in shifts, that's for sure!

Angie

 

[donkeymom]

my two jennies are inseperable too. last summer when we thought they were bred we tried to get them used to having their own stalls in preparation for their births. We built 10x12 stalls right next to each other but only high enough so that they could still touch each other. It didn't work, daisy tried to jump over her stall numerous times in a panic to get to her buddy. I finally gave up and let them be together. They are hopefully bred for this August although blossom keeps showing signs of heat...maybe its a girl! thats what i keep hoping! Another year is too long to wait! They were both bred to the same jack the same week. Watch they'll go on the same day!!! I'm going to keep them together until they show me signs that they are ready to be separated. My fiancé keeps telling me to let nature take its course and to stop obsessing about it. I've already told my boss i want maternity leave when (and if??) they deliver. I'm interested in the camera thing online. how does it work? Jenn

 

[GlacierRidge]

Re: the camera.... from what I've just learned, you need the camera, the photo capture software, and the host (and host's software).

I went to www.marestare.com and they had most of my questions answered there. I already have a camera that reaches to the house (wired). All I have to buy is a $40 program from Best Buy or wherever (I'll probably get it from Amazon), then they help take care of the rest. Mare stare is $15-$20 per month to use. That's what I know so far....

Angie