# Sheep/Mini Donkey question



## Hawkfamily (Jul 13, 2004)

So, we bought a male mini donkey this summer - he is 2 years old and ungelded. We bought him in the hopes of having him live with our sheep and goats, as a friend and as a protector. He is a very very nice boy and we love him!!
However, on the few times that we have put him together with the sheep and goats, he "goes after" a sheep or goat - chases them and then bites them on the back of the neck and pushes them to the ground, holding them there... at which point, we intervene. And separate them again.

My questions to you are: Is this just typical dominance-type behaviour that will stop once they've worked out their "pecking order"?? Will the donkey actually hurt or kill the sheep or goats? Will this behaviour get better once he is gelded? 

Thanks!!
(I'm also going to post this in duplicate on the horse board)
Jodi


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## ONThorsegirl (Apr 2, 2005)

Hi Jodi, 

I really don't mean to burst your hopes but that is dominating behaviour and not at all needed! Yuor Donkey is showing signs of dominance that would be used in the horse world but your sheep and goats are much smaller and will easily be killed. 

I have known many people with donkeys that haven't worked. Like you said..there behavior is unpredictable and many have killed sheep. A Lady I work with had a Donkey and she lost a few sheep, no marks but one day she looked outside and saw the Donkey Grabbing a ewe by the shoulders, and shaking the sheep. slamming it down and holding it down, by the time she got out the door the ewe was dead. So the Donkey didn't stay long. 

I was at another farm and they had Suffolk Sheep- the larger modern type and a Donkey in a pen by him self. I asked why and it was becuase he was aggressive towards the sheep and had killed a couple lambs. 

I feel that Donkeys could be great guards if they were brought up with them from day one or very young. It might possibly change once Gelded but my experience with horses is that by 2 years old he has some stud behaviour in him already and the testosterone is already working!! I honestly think you might be better getting a llama or Dog, and keep your very cute Donkey by him self and get him a larger friend ex. horse, pony etc. 

Sorry, maybe someone else has more experience or info for you~~


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## Blossomgapfarm (Jan 23, 2007)

I am sorry but I have to agree with the above post. At two years old, I don't think gelding him would change his need to be dominant to the sheep and goats. Keeping him you run the risk of loosing animals - exactly what he is supposed to prevent. I would recommend looking for a LGD or possibly a llama.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

A two year old donkey is too young to be put into pasture with sheep. They are still babies until they are three or four, and they play too rough. A jack is always gelded if he's going to be a guardian. With my two jennets, I made sure there was enough room for the sheep to get away from the donkeys. If the sheep can run away, the donkey will find something else to do, and it helps to have two because they entertain each other. Get an older donkey that has been raised with sheep and/or goats so they feel a part of the herd. Get two.


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## ONThorsegirl (Apr 2, 2005)

Maura I agree with your post as well but my concern is the point said about making sure there is enough room for the sheep to get away...if that was me I would want to make sure that the possibility of the donkeys hurting the sheep wasn't even present!! I don't know, I like my Pony who I have had with my sheep since I got her and the sheep-13 years ago. and I like our llama's too! 

Jodi, let us know what you do!! I hope the best works out for you!

Melissa


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## njredneckgirl (Apr 11, 2007)

I have a 5 year old standard jennet donkey guarding my sheep. She does boss the sheep around at times but they know when to get out of her way. She is very gentle around lambs. I originally had two donkeys but they would team up on the sheep.

I tried separating the donkeys but they would bray all day long. I couldn't take it anymore so I sold one.

I still needed another guard animal so I picked up a couple of free Llamas a few weeks ago. I haven't put them out in the pasture yet, they are very large and hate getting monthly shots. They love to have spitting for distance contests. They are beautiful but I dread handling them. Donkeys are soooooo lovable! Oh well, time to buy a llama chute.


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## Hawkfamily (Jul 13, 2004)

Thanks for your advice and opinions. Maura, I liked hearing that you believe he is just too young to be out there with them yet. I know that he is very playful. We will get him gelded. We were waiting until the fall, so the flies would be gone. 
Julio, that's the donkey, is in a fenced pasture where he borders the sheep, so he has gotten to know them that way. There's definitely enough room for the sheep to run, if we were to turn him out with the sheep eventually.
I think we will: geld him, wait until he is a bit more mature, take him for walks in the sheep fields (instead of avoiding the sheep), and just assess how the gelding has affected him. We have our eyes open all the time for additions to our farm, so a llama or other mini donkeys or a mini pony might all be possibilities.

jodi


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## thedonkeyman (Jun 18, 2005)

Purchase a Standard, or Large standard size Jennet as a pack of DOGS will eat a Miniature.
Donkeys do not SPIT.
ADA CEO thedonkeyman


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## Rogo (Jan 1, 2006)

You've got 2 problems - jacks aren't used as livestock guardians as a rule since their mind is elsewhere. The mini is prey to many predators.

Standard donks are used for guarding. Geldings or jennies. There are exceptions, but unless you have a lot of acreage, only one donkey is used or the donks will bond together and not protect the stock. If there's a large amount of land, one donkey will stay with the sheep/goats, the other will watch the perimeter.

If a jenny, do not breed her. When she gives birth she may kill your sheep/goats to protect her foal.

Livestock guardians are with the stock 24/7 and not used for other disciplines.

Again, there are exceptions, but you take you chances using any ol' donk. Best to get one from a livestock guardian breeder. When weaned, the donk is placed with stock and grows up with them. If your stock are different than what the donk grew up with, the breeder will work with you to train the donk to your stock. The same is true with livestock guardian dogs.

Some may get lucky, but with any ol' donk they can run the sheep/goats into heart attack or maim or kill them. Your jack is showing such behavior.


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## redbudlane (Jul 5, 2006)

Our jenny is wonderful with any and all animals. Our male (intact) will stomp anything that gets in the same pasture with him.

We absolutely love him and he is "part" of our farm, we just need to make sure the other animals are a safe distance from him. He is due to be gelded this month, I doubt it will change his behavior as much as just simply maturing will. We got him when he was 1 year old and he's been here for 1 1/2 years now. He's still a rowdy kid.

His job on our farm is "alarm donkey." He lets us know when someone pulls in the drive, goes out the door or wakes up and turns on a light in the house! lol


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## gimpy (Sep 18, 2007)

Our Jenny was part of the wild rescue, estimated to be 3 years old when we got her and she bonded to the LGD puppy as her own since those sheep wouldn't give her a lamb. Now she's part of the flock. I haven't heard of many jacks used the same way.


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## Maura (Jun 6, 2004)

ONThorsegirl, I was reporting my observations. If we hadn't had two pals, I don't think we could have left a donkey in with the sheep- they play too rough. We didn't get the jennets to be guardians, if fact were told that they wouldn't act as guardians. The fact they do act as guardians is a big plus. If a person wants a real guardian, they should get a standard or mammoth and it/they should be at least three years old.

The jack in question needs to be gelded soon. There's no reason to wait and some reasons not to.


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## sheepish (Dec 9, 2006)

We had a male guard donkey gelded when he was a year old. He was boss of the flock but seemed to fit in well, with only the odd nip to the ewes. Gelding changed nothing about his personality. 

We found him a new home with a horse companion after he started picking up newborn lambs by the head, breaking their jaws. 

We have had our current jenny for almost 10 years she behaves pretty much the same as the male did, except that she stands guard over newborn lambs and does not attempt to pick them up. A much more acceptable behaviour.


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