One of the problems you may run into, assuming all goes well with the introduction of a donkey, is the situation with your grass. My two late donks, a gelding and a jenny, lived in the same fields with my 2 heavies. They never interacted with my late Clyde who wanted desperately to have a relationship with them. My late Shire mare wanted nothing to do with the donkeys. After a few years together, my farrier felt the donks were getting a bit chunky on our green, green grass and suggested separating them from the horses would be in the best interests of the donkeys. We made a paddock within one of the horse fields and kept the donkeys in that field, with their own field shelter. From what I’ve typed it appears that all my animals have died. Actually, the Clyde died of colic at 18 1/2 years of age. The Shire was 24 years old when we lost her. The gelding donkey was in his 30’s, and the jenny died in a freak accident at 15. I had them for many, many years.
I decided to try and acquire a Baudet du Poitou donkey for my jenny after my old gelding died. I was able to purchase a Poitou foal from a conservation herd not too far from our farm. However, she was too young to wean, so, in the interim I purchased a 5 year old jenny from France. She arrived within the week, took to my jenny, and became fast friends. A month later, the 7 months old jenny foal arrived and the three girls formed a lovely little family after about 5 weeks. My young Shire geldings interact with the Poitou girls all the time, over the fence. The boys are so large I have been reluctant to let them into the same fields…just in case the play gets a bit rough. I do allow the Poitous into a large field for several hours during the day, but bring them into the smaller paddock at night. Apparently, being such large donkeys, the French have traditionally kept them on large, green fields 24/7.
Most donkeys, except the mammoth jacks, are quite small in comparison to a horse. The amount of green forage we provide for horses, is really too rich for the majority of donkeys. That goes for grains and mixes. Donkeys don’t need rich feed. It must be remembered that donkeys are not horses with long ears. Their medical parameters and needs are specific to them. A vet once wrote that the difference between horses and donkeys is comparable to the difference between cattle and sheep.
I have found the Poitous very amenable to people and other animals. My late donkeys LOVED children, but could be a bit aloof with adults. They did not like our sheep or horses and would have killed the cat.
When my late jenny was in season, she would back up to my late gelding, pee and wink, and chew. There was no mistaking her seasons, every three weeks. My old gelding donk used to accommodate her and would mount and “do the deed.” Yes, even as a gelding (and he was gelded young)! Conversely, the Poitous never give me an indication they are in season. It could be because they are not living with a gelding. So, if you are thinking of getting a jenny…
