# Does anybody see a problem with this?



## countrylivingtx (Jul 7, 2014)

Ok I just got thru putting up a very good barbed wire fence around all my property and a pen for the goats and donkey but I dont have a barn and I was thinking of this much cheaper and less work alternative ok at tractor supply they have these huge chain link dog kennels for 299.99 + 79.99 for the cover I was thinking about buying two of them 1 for my 2 female goat's which are sisters they both have there horns and theyre both very sweet so I would buy 1 for them 2 and im gonna get two intact male mini donkey 2 years old brothers that weigh 100lbs each so. I would buy 1 for the 2 of them and they would only be in there at night until early morning that way they would be protected from the elements and they could eat with out bothering each other would it work?? I included a picture of the donkeys thanks everybody


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## Teej (Jan 14, 2012)

If you didn't wrap the sides they wouldn't be much good at keeping the weather at bay. Personally I think the money they cost would be better spent on a 3 sided shed.

We built this for the minis using pressure treated posts and rough cut oak and I'm thinking it only cost a couple hundred in materials (we did the labor), it's been a few years though so I'm not sure how much lumber has gone up.







Even has it's own tiny feed room on the end. Will hold 10 bales of hay and food & water for the cat that lives in there. Can't actually store feed in it because hubby kept forgetting to latch the door good.


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## countrylivingtx (Jul 7, 2014)

Im just going to go with the kennels but wrap the sides


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

countrylivingtx, please read carefully. 

The very last thing you need is an intact male donkey (jack) and certainly not two! Yes, they're cute and sweet, until the jennet goes into heat. Then you will have your hands full. Get a gelding instead; they make better pets.

The last thing the donkey world needs is more donkeys. Leave the breeding operation to the experienced, professional breeders. 

Barbed wire is the absolute WORST type of fence for equines.

Did you read the links I gave you for the NMDA and the ADMS? Have you visited any reputable breeding operations? None that I know of would recommend doing what you have described. 

I believe you are rushing headlong into this plan with blinders on! In the end, sadly, it's the donkeys that will pay for it.


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## countrylivingtx (Jul 7, 2014)

G. Seddon said:


> countrylivingtx, please read carefully.
> 
> The very last thing you need is an intact male donkey (jack) and certainly not two! Yes, they're cute and sweet, until the jennet goes into heat. Then you will have your hands full. Get a gelding instead; they make better pets.
> 
> ...


I dont have a jenny or a jennet these will be the only two


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

countrylivingtx said:


> I dont have a jenny or a jennet these will be the only two


Sorry, I misread one of your previous posts. However, you did mention geldings in one post and then intact jacks in another. Which is it?

I am concerned that you haven't thought this entire plan through carefully.


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## countrylivingtx (Jul 7, 2014)

Intact I was gonna get geldings but im getting these instead


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I don't think barbed wire will hold goats unless it is really tight and many strands. It is one of the best way for equines to get hurt, and goats are as good as horses when it comes to hurting themselves. We won't have barbed wire on our place, it's too dangerous, especially in a small area.


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## notwyse (Feb 16, 2014)

Your donkeys will respond to every mare in heat...mares of the horse variety. That is how mules are made.


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## PNP Katahdins (Oct 28, 2008)

Horned goats in chain link dog kennels? What could possibly go wrong? Be sure to keep a heavy duty wire cutter handy. We do use two of these kennels in the hay mow for quarantine pens when buying rams, but our stock isn't horned.

Two intact male mini donkeys? Do yourself and everyone else a favor and get the gelded ones instead. Save yourself an expensive vet bill down the road.

Good luck with your adventure.

Peg


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## secuono (Sep 28, 2011)

Where do you live? Snow, even 6in of it, WILL cave the chainlink and possibly kill or seriously injure them.
Barbed wire is for cattle, nothing else. Just like "chicken wire" is for masonry or gardens, nothing else. 
Horned goats will get stuck in the chainlink, buy some long armed bolt cutters, you'll need them. Also, goats will escape the barbed wire and even the chainlink if they really want to. 
You don't need to own a female for the donkeys to loose it, since they can smell a female a mile or so away and still give you hell. Have them castrated when you get them or risk issues.


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## countrylivingtx (Jul 7, 2014)

secuono said:


> where do you live? Snow, even 6in of it, will cave the chainlink and possibly kill or seriously injure them.
> Barbed wire is for cattle, nothing else. Just like "chicken wire" is for masonry or gardens, nothing else.
> Horned goats will get stuck in the chainlink, buy some long armed bolt cutters, you'll need them. Also, goats will escape the barbed wire and even the chainlink if they really want to.
> You don't need to own a female for the donkeys to loose it, since they can smell a female a mile or so away and still give you hell. Have them castrated when you get them or risk issues.


how is a goat going to get out of chain link


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## DaniR1968 (May 24, 2008)

You asked "Does anyone see a problem with this." 

Please don't get defensive with people DO see a problem with it. Barbed wire will not hold goats. It might slow them down slightly. It is very dangerous to equines.

You have been given a couple of reason chain link kennels with covers will not work. A better idea might be hoop shelters. You can find the plans online.

If you are planning to keep your goats in the kennel, you will have very unhappy goats. That is really not enough area to keep them. Either way, goats are very hard on chain link. My yard came with chain link. The goat have all but destroyed it just rubbing on it. While it doesn't seem it, chain link is kind of flimsy and easily messed up when you have large animals around it.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

What kind of predators are you controlling?? I asked previously what your intended use was and you indicated that you wanted pets and possibly for cart use. 

Intact males are going to be a problem and they tend to be fairly aggressive. Are you thinking that because they're small you can resolve issues? They're way stronger than you think. 

Are they trained in some way or halter broke at least? Are you capable of training or maintaining manners? Donkey's have a very interesting temperament and aren't overly forgiving of training mistakes? 

What research and homework have you done (other than questions you've answered here) do you know their life expectancy, what they require for health and maintenance, shelter, exercise, hoof care, health risks and tendencies, etc?


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## countrylivingtx (Jul 7, 2014)

wr said:


> What kind of predators are you controlling?? I asked previously what your intended use was and you indicated that you wanted pets and possibly for cart use.
> 
> Intact males are going to be a problem and they tend to be fairly aggressive. Are you thinking that because they're small you can resolve issues? They're way stronger than you think.
> 
> ...


Ok they are intact but im going to castrate them the day I get them so should I have my vet do it or can i? And I've done research and heres what ive came up with they live about 30yrs and for health and maintaining them they need there teeth floated yearly and a farrier visit every 6to8 weeks and shots yearly and I just want them for pets not a cart


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## GrannyCarol (Mar 23, 2005)

I sure wouldn't do it myself! That's surgery you are talking about and I hear donkeys are more problematic than horses. It might be cheaper/easier in the long run to look a little longer and find a pair that are already gelded. Be sure you know how expensive the gelding is. Get donkeys that have been handled and have good manners - I don't know if these two come under that heading, but hospital stays are expensive and pets that misbehave are no fun. 

I agree that you would be way better off to wait on your donkey dream and spend some time at a barn with knowledgeable horse/donkey people and really learn how to work with them. Maybe you can trade stall cleaning for lessons? Nothing like stall cleaning to teach you if you really WANT equines to start with! And, at a training barn, you will learn so much just watching and talking with horse people, even if you don't get lessons. You might find a really good deal on the perfect donkeys too.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

countrylivingtx said:


> Ok they are intact but im going to castrate them the day I get them so should I have my vet do it or can i? And I've done research and heres what ive came up with they live about 30yrs and for health and maintaining them they need there teeth floated yearly and a farrier visit every 6to8 weeks and shots yearly and I just want them for pets not a cart


Do they have any training at all? Even pets need sufficient training to be safely handled by a vet or farrier. 

You should absolutely not castrate on your own and to even consider such is a good indication that you need more homework. 

I realize you have your heart set on something but have you spent any time at all with donkeys? Do you understand their temperament? In my opinion, this impulsive decision is a lot like bringing home a fluffy kitten and discovering later that the litter box stinks.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

Are you sure that both donkeys have both testicles descended? If either one doesn't, gelding can be very expensive. Have the vet check before you buy them.

No you can not do it yourself. You can't buy the anesthetic for one thing, you don't know what you are doing for another. The chance that the gelding won't get completely done, or a donkey will bleed to death or have ongoing problems as well as you ending up in the hospital is a very real possibility. You cut and remove the testicles, you don't band equines, if that is what you thought.


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## dizzy (Jun 25, 2013)

Several years ago, a friend of the owner where I have my horses was getting rid of her horse, a welsh pony and a jack donkey. Her grandkids were no longer interested in them and they just wanted to find a home for them. At that point in time, I was doing pony rides, so I took the pony. I picked her up.

Another boarder decided they wanted the horse. Well, the owner's offered to drop it off at the farm. However, when they got there, they had the donkey as well. Their excuse? It was the only way to load the horse. They unloaded them both-and went on vacation.

One day when I was at the farm, I heard something just running and running and running. I went to check on it. That jack donkey was running a pony relentlessly. There was one other person there. We had to get that pony out, and then catch that donkey and put it where it could NOT get to any of the other animals on the property. It was not fun. In fact, it was dangerous. I was the one leading the donkey, and I had to watch it every step of the way. When the people came back from vacation, that donkey was loaded on a trailer and taken back to them.

As to goats and chain link. I thought chain link would be fine for the 2 goats my daughter got. The only way it held the one was by putting cattle panels up around the chain link. It would rub up against the chain link until it loosen it up, then go under it.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

countrylivingtx said:


> Ok they are intact but im going to castrate them the day I get them so should I have my vet do it or can i? And I've done research and heres what ive came up with they live about 30yrs and for health and maintaining them they need there teeth floated yearly and a farrier visit every 6to8 weeks and shots yearly and I just want them for pets not a cart


Donkeys are not your average equine. Gelding a donkey costs about 250.00 - 350.00, and only some equine vets are even willing to cut them. They can bleed heavily and heal badly. They can bleed to death! If you don't know how much blood is too much, you won't be able to distinguish between normal bleeding and an emergency vet call. That you even ask if you can geld them yourself shows your lack of knowledge of and research on donkeys. 

Miniature donkeys aren't going to run a pack of coyotes off. They are not big enough to intimidate them. If you have anything larger than a coyote, or want more protection than that, don't get mini donkeys. 

They will breed any other equine they can reach if you leave them intact. I have 5 little donkeys, one is just now old enough to get gelded and it's off to the vet next week with him. I have 3 other males that I had gelded, and even after they were gelded it took them about 2 months to stop trying to mount my mares or Jenny when they came into heat. I run 20 horses plus the donkeys, trust me, you don't want a jack, much less two of them, on a small holding with any female equine species anywhere near you. It isn't worth the risk.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

If you talk to enough goat and cattle people you will quickly find out what is being said is worth its weight in gold. Jacks will kill calves and will chase anything in estrous. I have tried three donkeys here, one gelding one jenny and a 8 month old jack (he was getting gelded)

First donkey was fine for a while, then one day he was flipping my very large Saanen doe up in the air by the back of her neck, thus after over a year of living together, he was out to kill her. 

Jenny wasnt bad, she just wouldnt let anyone else eat and would run them off, however it was precious that she would round up her goats every night at dusk to get into the barn. Problem was I had a very fat donkey and not so fat goats,

Third I really think he was older than I bought him as, it took him a week and my girls going in heat to go on a rampage.

Horror store from a dear friend he was sorting his cows out to two different pastures and the donkey attacked him and took a chunk out of his shoulder, donkey promptly took a dirt nap.

Money would be better spent on getting proper fencing for the goats, I dont have horned goats so I get by using cattle or field fence, if they have horns electric netting, electric fence (do not use the rope use real wire not cheap wire) or use the sheep and goat fence. 
Chain link does not work for goats at all because they rub up against it stand on it ect and work it loose. I do use it for my kids or a quick quarantine pen but you would laugh if you seen all the hay string repairs it has on it.

Please choose one or the other until you can do it right, life so much easier if your not constantly trying to fix what wasnt right to start with, then you feel overwhelmed and dont enjoy the animals the way you should, thus is speaking for years of putting the goat before the cart and making my own life miserable in order to have what I want when I wanted it.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

countrylivingtx said:


> Ok they are intact but im going to castrate them the day I get them so should I have my vet do it or can i? And I've done research and heres what ive came up with they live about 30yrs and for health and maintaining them they need there teeth floated yearly and a farrier visit every 6to8 weeks and shots yearly and I just want them for pets not a cart



Do you at least have a plan in place for introducing the donkey to the goats before you shove them in a pen together and do you have something in mind for a place the goats can escape to if the donkeys do try to harm them?


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

Chain link works very well for goats.

Barbwire doesn't.

And as the other have said gelding donkey has all sorts of issues.

Gelding an older donkey..... he will still think he is quite the stud


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## Tiempo (May 22, 2008)

I'm sorry OP, but pretty much every aspect of your plan is a recipe for disaster. 

One of my clients is a donkey rescue, they have a guy who does their routine trimming and they call me for donks that come up lame and neglect cases that come in.

My last visit there (about 2 weeks ago) they had 83 donkeys in residence....please don't add to the problem.

As to the chain link, the size you are describing (a pair of 10x10's put together) is what I use for a breeding group of 5 chickens to give you some perspective.


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## DaniR1968 (May 24, 2008)

I think you need to take a step back. The goats are escaping and also eating the chicken feed. You also don't have shelter for them. You need to take care of what you have. 

Since you already have the barbed wire up, add a couple of strands of hot wire then train the goats to it. For the chickens, a couple of cattle panels should do the trick. Cut them in half an make an 8x8 pen. Chickens can walk right through but goats can't.

Next you need shelter. Goats and chickens really don't like getting wet.  Another couple cattle panels and a good tarp will make you a shelter for them. Make sure the sides are straight or the goats will climb on it and collapse it.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I'm going to have to agree. If you're considering getting rid of the goats and chickens because they're frustrating you, donkeys won't make things any better. It's fairly easy to rehome chickens and goats but not so easy to find homes for donkeys. As previously stated, rescues are already full with unwanted donkeys that are looking for forever homes.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Countryliving I know you are excited about the donkeys, but please listen to these folks. My mini donk cost $400.00 to geld and recovery is quite labor intensive. You have open incisions, drainage must be washed off legs a couple times a day....ever try to get near a donkey with water? Donkey must be lunged/hand walked 2x a day during healing process.....they don't always want to go with the program...can be a two person job, one pulling, one pushing from behind. A good shelter with a covered loafing area is a must, they do not like getting wet. For the sake of the animals, please reconsider.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

I have had mini donkeys, sheep, and chickens together. I used a chain link pen to contain the sheep for the shearer. It was sturdy, got it from a commercial entity. Because it was tall, the sheep could not jump over the sides, but they sure abused it. A chain link pen is fine for a few days if the animals are not big, but it is strictly a temporary cell.

Donkeys cannot be put with other species unless they have been bonded to them. This means that unless those jacks were raised with goats, they may be very aggressive to them. I got my jennets as foals, kept them adjacent to the sheep for three months before putting them together for half days. We have coyotes and they never bothered the sheep because of the donkeys (36&#8221; and 35&#8221; at withers). Their presence is enough to make a coyote think twice and decide to look for a fawn.

Buy some electric tape (equine tape). It is wide and white. Buy end caps for the posts and run the white electric tape along the top of all your barbed wire. The tape can be seen even when the wire cannot be seen and it can help keep animals from running into the wire.

Someone mentioned a hoop house. This is what we used for our animals. You take two cattle panels, which are 4&#8217; x 16&#8217;. Place them beside each other and tie together to create one 8 x 16&#8217;. Using a heavy wooden frame, arc the panels and attach them to the wooden frame. Cover with a large enough vinyl tarp. Voila, instant animal shelter. This would be known as a run through because it is open at each end. The vinyl wall should face the wind. The wind will pass over the shelter (unless you get 80 mph winds in which case it will bend the cattle panel). You will need to attach the frame to a post so it doesn&#8217;t get blown away in a high wind. This will give shade in the summer and protection in the winter. You can have one in the pasture and later build something permanent you can store hay in.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

WARNING: When *you* or any female family member/visitor are on your monthly cycle, that has been known to stir up an intact male donkey, and invite danger! Please think your plan over VERY CAREFULLY.


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## nehimama (Jun 18, 2005)

I once had to break up a fight between two male donkeys - minis. One gelding and one intact jack. It was quite frightening. They are very strong and very determined.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

countrylivingtx said:


> Intact I was gonna get geldings but im getting these instead


Are you going to geld them? If not, why? Intact males will fight one another and you and/or your other animals will probably get hurt. What's the hurry?


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

Like I said, I've never had a donkey but I can't imagine selling two intact male donkeys to anyone, let alone someone that has no experience with donkeys. I would not buy anything from someone willing to do this. I certainly would not sell a stallion to a person that has not experience, let alone two of them. The seller is more interested in moving donkeys than finding suitable homes for them, or the safety of the buyer,IMO.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

nehimama said:


> WARNING: When *you* or any female family member/visitor are on your monthly cycle, that has been known to stir up an intact male donkey, and invite danger! Please think your plan over VERY CAREFULLY.



I'm not sure I agree with this because I have had intact jacks before and I've ranched for a great many years, working with donkeys, bulls and stallions and never found the to get stirred up.


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## aoconnor1 (Jun 19, 2014)

:huh:


wr said:


> I'm not sure I agree with this because I have had intact jacks before and I've ranched for a great many years, working with donkeys, bulls and stallions and never found the to get stirred up.


I have had donkeys on my ranch for years as well and have never once had an issue like that. I have had bulls and staions as well and never seen one react in any off manner.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

aoconnor1 said:


> :huh:
> 
> 
> 
> I have had donkeys on my ranch for years as well and have never once had an issue like that. I have had bulls and staions as well and never seen one react in any off manner.



The old rancher always told me it's one of those old wives tales intended there to keep women on the kitchen.


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## Irish Pixie (May 14, 2002)

nehimama said:


> WARNING: When *you* or any female family member/visitor are on your monthly cycle, that has been known to stir up an intact male donkey, and invite danger! Please think your plan over VERY CAREFULLY.


Are you serious? There are really people that still believe this crap?


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

That does not mean an intact donkey is a good idea, however!


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Molly Mckee said:


> That does not mean an intact donkey is a good idea, however!



Unless one has superior bloodlines and sufficient experience to become a breeder, there is no reason to keep intact males in livestock. They're aggressive and have a strong tendency to cause problems.


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## Joshie (Dec 8, 2008)

countrylivingtx said:


> how is a goat going to get out of chain link





countrylivingtx said:


> Ok they are intact but im going to castrate them the day I get them so should I have my vet do it or can i? And I've done research and heres what ive came up with they live about 30yrs and for health and maintaining them they need there teeth floated yearly and a farrier visit every 6to8 weeks and shots yearly and I just want them for pets not a cart





countrylivingtx said:


> Intact I was gonna get geldings but im getting these instead


Your statements make me think you're not ready for either animal. Goats are notorious for being escapees. Chain link fencing isn't exactly sturdy. A lot of horse people think barbed wire is bad but some people find it better than other products. Would you please explain what you mean by good barbed wire? It must be very taut. How far did you sink your posts? What is your frost line? Did anybody help you tighten the wire? 

Gelding is surgery, not something lay people should do. It scares me to hear you ask the question. That indicates to me that you have done very little research. Have you ever been around any equines?

How old are these donkeys? Equines gelded on the older side sometimes never get rid of their studdy behavior. Why did you change your mind about the gelded ones? Do you at least have a mentor, vet, and farrier lined up? Why is the current owner want to sell? 

If you don't have a barn where will you store hay? Hay can be expensive and takes up a ton of space. Equines can sure eat a lot. What is the size of your pasture? If you don't have a good sized pasture they can easily turn a pasture into a dry lot pretty quickly. 

Do you own tack? Pets need tack too. Can you put on a halter and lead a donkey? Do you know donkey language? 

There are more things to learn than be said here. We have owned horses for six years and I would still want our trainer to check out an equine before I make a purchase one for myself. 

Do you plan to keep donkeys penned up? Why? Our horses are always in the pasture. When the weather is bad they hang out near trees. Do you plan to keep the goats penned up most of the time? 

There are so many things to consider. Please take your time.


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## Terri (May 10, 2002)

Lovely donkeys!

I use a Tuff Shed for a hen house. http://www.homedepot.com/c/SV_HS_Sh... shed&ef_id=U695CgAABIgqsOH7:20140720202732:s

They came and 2 days later it was up. I then sectioned off part of it so I could keep bags of feed in it without the birds getting into it and pooping all over it. I do use a chain link fence for a run, but it offers no shelter at all for the birds when the wind is blowing: when the weather is bad they all go inside!

Oh, yes. I also ordered my Tuff Shed with a "pet door" which is simply a nicely framed hole in the side so that a dog may go in or out as it chooses. It works very nicely for chickens. 

Lastly, I suspect you could keep all of your critters in one Tuff Shed if you set up roosts for the birds. I just leaned a ladder against one wall and fastened a block to keep the bottom from sliding away and they LIKE it!

Then you only need to keep the donkeys out of the chicken feed. 

Lastly, about keeping non-gelded males. Back when I was in college the school had 2 herds of fine pedigree brood mares. One day they went to feed and there was a strange stallion in with the brood mares! And YES the school was smoking mad and YES one of the mares was in heat and YES he got her pregnant! 

Think about getting them gelded: they are more likely to stay home and not give a mule colt to somebody's pedigree pony mare. I do know that the school sold their colts for several thousand dollars each, which means that they lost that much because the filly that was born did not have a pedigree.

Edited to add: sorry! I thought you had chickens also! Though I have seen horses and goats living happily together. I do not know much about that, though: I have just seen some living happily in a local pasture.

Look at this one: http://www.homedepot.com/p/Lifetime...EC-_-NavPLPHorizontal1-4-_-NA-_-202080011-_-N When you consider you are talking mini donkeys, this might be large enough! And you an ask them to add windows.

As for gelding them yourself: think about it. To them you will be the perfect stranger with the knife. They will NOT! like you if you geld them yourself! And then, too, a vet can use a painkiller.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Usually when donkeys are gelded, they are SEDATED and completely KNOCKED OUT -- even at a very young age. The vet should ligate them and may even prescribe a course of antibiotics for 7-10 days. They get stall rest for 24 hours. Older donkeys may need to have temperatures taken for 7-10 days, even if on antibiotics.

A little dripping blood is okay, but any streaming blood is not. In that event they go to the not-so-nearby equine clinic where staff can monitor them round the clock for problems, re-sedate them, if necessary and stop the bleeding.

After the 24 hour stall rest with no problems, they are walked several times a day until healing is well on its way. Exercise is good, but nothing really vigorous for a while.

This is not a do-it-yourself procedure! Donkeys tend to be bleeders and the older they are, the more likely that is to occur.


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