adding new donkey questions

[fancyappy]

I have two tiny mini donkeys who are very attached to each other. They

are never more than 5 feet away from each other.

I would like to purchase a 3rd donkey. Will adding a 3ed donkey

stress the two best friends? Will they ignore the newcomer and he will

be lonely? Will the three bond and travel together or will the

original 2 shun the new donkey?

They live in a 15 acre field with 3 mini horses and a 4

month old mini filly.. The horses aren't attached to each other the

way these donkeys are.

Will the filly and baby donk bond perhaps...will the mini horses be

agressive towards the baby?

Am I over thinking this and worrying about nothing? or should the new

donk be segregated for a while?

Thanks again

I really want the new donkey but not at the risk of upsetting the

original two. The seller says the 3 will bond together. Would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks!!!!!!!

 

[PaintedPromiseRanch]

hey i think we are also on the same yahoogroup as this question sounds very familiar... you may have some issues with the original pair being "mean" to the newcomer, you will have to watch out for that... i have added to my herd anywhere from one to five at a time, they all seem to get along just fine once they get through the initial introduction period. pretty much like the horses i have found... a lot of people would tell you to add two, not just one, so the two pairs can have each other, but i have had two sets of donks where it was THREE bonded together so i know it can happen...

good luck!!!

 

[crackerjackjack]

Well, I just added a third donkey. I had a jack and jenny together. I decided this fall to get another jenny. Well my jack became really agressive. So for the last 9 weeks, he has been seperated from the girls because I ended up getting him gelded. This last weekend I put him back with the girls. They are mean to him. Don't get me wrong, they aren't doing anything to hurt him. But they snort at him and kick at him any chance they get. He is holding his own. He is like a different donkey since he was gelded. Their only really issue is with feeding time. The girls want it all. So I give him his own pile of hay. They girls come over and chase him away and he goes to their big pile and the girls eat his little pile. It all works out. Good luck with adding your new donkey. They eventually will work out their differences.

 

[fancyappy]

Thank you both for your replies. I appreciate your advice. I posted on my yahoo group and here and with the answers I received from both places, I felt it was ok to add a new donk to my family. I am going to post pics of him today here. He arrived this morning and is precious.

I was very worried but I feel it will work out ok with 3. Thanks for your help!