# New Mini Donkey owner!



## MiniDonkaDonk (May 22, 2009)

Hello,

I'm new here, and new to mini donkey's as well....This might be a silly question but I was wondering if I needed to worry about coyotes hurting my girls, we live in Missouri on 40 acres and I've heard a very large pack of coyotes out in our woods...what I'm wondering is:

1) Would they try to attack our donkey's (we only have two)

2) Do I need to put them in a stall at night to be safe or would they be alright in their pen and loafing shed...which is not even 30 feet from our home. Would coyotes even come that close to our house? Would having lights on deter them? I know, silly questions but I want to keep my girls safe!

Any input would be greatly appreciated!

A picture of our girls...they are the grey's on the left...better pictures to come!


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## MeadowRidge Farm (May 22, 2009)

Hi, and WELCOME to our longear corner of the forums.

First off....there is no such a thing as a silly question, so you just feel free to ask all the silly questions you want.






I live in northern Wisconsin, and we have alot of coyotes, wolves, and bears in our area. There is nothing that can stop a pack of coyotes from taking a donkey down..a donkey just dont stand a chance, if the coyotes are determined. I was always told to keep a radio and lights on at night..after awhile the coyotes, (or whatever ) will get use to it. We have some very secure fencing, with a hot tape on the inside and outside of the pens. I also have a few guard donkeys in with the miniature horses. (which I feel are worth there weight in gold with the bear problem we had) my dry lots are only about 30 feet from our back door as well. We also have a large run in attached to our main barn, which I am able to completely close off at night, I also have security day/night vision cameras with sound out there, so as soon as any thing out of the ordinary is going on, the donkeys will start to bray and I can tak a look. You can never be too safe when it comes to our precious donks, and to be on the safe side if you have a coyote probelm I would definitely be locking them up at night. Also, get the safest type of fencing you can afford, and put hot wires inside and out. I have seen coyotes cross right behind a home, so I do think that yes, they would come that close to your house. I also think a radio would help along with lights, for awhile.

Corinne


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## Chico (May 22, 2009)

Hi !



,

Everyone is very nice here and my experience is that you can ask anything. We have two horses and two mini donkeys. One of our donkeys is very brave and has charged after coyotes with my husband in hot chase. Saying that, I would be deathly afraid if my donkeys got cornered, were alone or in the dark. Coyotes are very sneaky and hunt in packs. One coyote my brave boy would take on but he wouldn't win in a pack situation. Our animals go in at night and stall doors are fixed so coyotes couldn't get into the barn. I'm a stay home mom and thus I'm almost always around during the day. I would be a basket case if we left them out at night.

You'll love your donkeys.





Chico


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## MiniDonkaDonk (May 23, 2009)

Chico said:


> Our animals go in at night and stall doors are fixed so coyotes couldn't get into the barn. I'm a stay home mom and thus I'm almost always around during the day. I would be a basket case if we left them out at night.
> You'll love your donkeys.
> 
> 
> ...



Chico may I ask what you mean when you say your stall doors are fixed so coyotes can't get in the barn, locked up or what? I too am a stay at home mom although I have a feeling I'll be a stay out in the barn mom for the next couple of weeks! I have to go about converting an older milking barn into a donkey barn and although the building it's self is secure, I'll have to go about putting new doors on it as the wood is old and needs replacing. The girls are a bonded pair so I was hoping to make a stall big enough for both of them, how large should I make it? (They'll only be in it at night/ bad weather.)

Thank you Corinne and Chico for your help...I'm thankful for any advice coming my way!


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## FlatCreekFarm (May 23, 2009)

Hi Anny



, welcome to the forum from another Missouri mini longear owner. Oh boy, a couple years ago I asked the same 'silly' questions as you, and they really aren't silly at all!



I have two girls who just turned two. I'm with Chico... I've always kept my gals locked up at night. I am very scared of a coyote attack at night. And of course we have heard talk of 'other' critters around too - mountain lions, and I really hope that one is false. Anyway, we do have a radio speaker wired up to their barn (radio plays 24/7), and they are locked in the stall at night. I will have to measure to see just how big their stall is but it's comfortable for both, and has room for hay, feed, water and a little mineral/salt block. Hubby made a little "Mr. Ed" door that opens/locks top and bottom. Also, for warmer weather I talked him into fixing up a "screen door" made from a cattle panel, and he put hinges and a lock on that. Works great! With the "screen door" in place, I still pull the bottom "Mr. Ed" door shut because I'm soooo nervous about anything getting to my long-eared kids.

Enjoy your girls! They are very cute



, and I look forward to hearing more about them here on the forum, and seeing more pictures too!


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## krissy3 (May 23, 2009)

hello " new donkey mom"... good question,

I have a 28-30 year old donkey that would attack a dg or wolf in the pasture..but he is as old and salty as the sea.and we only have a few red foxes here. I would leave them in at night, and keep an eye on them , even a camera or baby monitor in the stall.I would think after a while the cyotes would move to another home where they didnt have to deal with Donkeys , but I could be wrong.enjoy your donkeys, and if you have trouble ( and you might ..they are tricky sometimes, (I think its Irish Hills )...she has great advice


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## Emily's mom (May 24, 2009)

Welcome, Anny...from soggy Nova Scotia. We keep our 2 donkeys in at night until summer, then they go out with the quarter horse. We've never seen animals in the yard, but who knows what lurks in the dark. I'd rather leave them in for peace of mind but I'm usually over-ruled


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## hollywood mini (May 24, 2009)

I would lock them up at night for sure. Coyotes came into our yard and took/ate my daughter's two yorkies, then came back a week later and took/ate my three shih tzus. I couldn't believe that they could jump our fence. Coyotes are very brave and operate in packs. One dog will distract while the rest of the pack attachs from the rear. They carry off their prey and semi cover it for a later meal. On searching for our dogs, we found a virtual bone grave yard behind our fence with eveything from deer left overs to numerous dog, rabbit, and other bones. We lock up our mini horses and dogs every night now.


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## MiniDonkaDonk (May 25, 2009)

Hello Everyone!

i Want to thank you all for the help/advice....construction has started on the girls' stall today and will hopefully be done tomorrow!!



I had another question though....since my girls are older ladies...Sassafras is 15 years and Columbine is 13 years...I was wondering if anyone could give me suggestions as to a feeding regimen? I was told since they are older they should not be grazing all day...I've already completed a dry lot area for the girls when they can't be in the pasture...but was hoping for any advice as to feeding? Will they be fine with grass only during the summer, should I do grass and hay...any feed? Suggestions?

Thanks again for any help you can give me! I'm picking the girls up on Wednesday...can't wait to get them home!


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## MeadowRidge Farm (May 25, 2009)

I would find out what kind of feeding schedule they are on now, and try to keep it as close to that as possible. But, remember donkeys are VERY easy keepers, and a donkey does not need any grain. A very good quality of nice grassy hay is usually enough. If you are pasturing them, be careful that your pasture is not rich in protein. I would not let my donkeys on pasture alone. I have basically a dry lot,( I lke to know exactly what my animals are eating..



) but they do get a turn out for about 1 hour a day on pasture. They havea good quality hay 24/7. A donkey that is overfed or gets alot of protein will develope a crest. You also need to watch closely for founder if on a lush pasture. I would try to limit there pasture time.

Also, be careful with yor hay that it dont have alot of alfalfa in it. Donkeys do best on a nice grassy type hay. I bet yor really getting excited now that Wed. is right around the corner.





Corinne


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## FlatCreekFarm (May 25, 2009)

How exciting... almost there!



I just wanted to add that I



their names... Sassafras and Columbine... how precious!



Be sure to post some pictures when you get your ladies home.


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## Chico (May 25, 2009)

I'm sorry I didn't respond sooner. I haven't been on email due to the holiday. Our stall doors can't be burrowed under. We created this situation by adding a removal board to the bottom of stall doors. I like the peace of mind that when I hear coyotes at night I know they can't get in the barn. We slide the boards in place at night and remove them in the morning.

Chico


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## MiniDonkaDonk (May 26, 2009)

FlatCreekFarm said:


> How exciting... almost there!
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Thank you Tammy, I've been reading up on your girls, Ruby and Gracie



and am even more excited to see what my girls have in store for us after reading about your girls! The stall is pretty much complete, I am going to put the finishing touches on it tomorrow...my daughter (2 1/2 says she has to "paint it up" so we'll see how that goes



I've taken before and in progress photos, and will take after photos tommorow and hopefully post them then. I'm so excited I feel like a little girl again (although as a little girl no ponies/donkeys for me...didn't get my first pony...I mean my daughter's first pony



until the ripe old age of 25 !) He was definately worth the wait though...sweetest yet most onry little guy I've ever met...can't really tell who loves him more, me or my daughter! But I'm just rambling now...will update on progress tomorrow...I will say though it's been alot less stressful having "experienced donkey owner's" help as I start out...Thank you again!

Here's a photo of my daughter with my 5 year old quarter horse Gelding, Cadillac...my main man!


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## MiniDonkaDonk (May 26, 2009)

I'm having a hard time with photo posting...maybe I'll figure it out with practice...anway I wanted to post a photo of our shetland Pony, Bubba Starlight (My 2 1/2 year old daughter named him...



)

hmm...can't figure this picture thing out...I'll post it later.


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## MiniDonkaDonk (May 26, 2009)




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