# What should we get our Baby Mini Donkey as a friend?



## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

We need some help/advice! First, Here is a little bit about us:
We live in East Texas, I have 2 children, My daughter is almost 12, and my son just turned 13. We got a 7 day old male miniature donkey on July 31st. He is now around 15 weeks old and his name is "Donkee or donkey or Donquavius". My children also have around 60 chickens, 10 ducks, 1 turkey, and the chickens "guard" cat. We finally found a halter that fits Donkey after trying out several different kinds. My daughter would like for him to pull a cart and let our young cousins ride him when he is an adult. We aren't sure how we need to be training/preparing him for those things. His "daily routine" is usually: 3 bottles of milk, a scoop of his pellets, and lets himself out of our backyard and goes to his favorite tree to eat leaves & grass, and then goes into the barnyard and lays with the chickens. We also brush him, tend to his hooves, and he absolutely loves car rides. My kids have also rescued 5 Nubian goats in the past, long before we had Donkey, but they had to go back to their original farm as adults.

So with all of that being said. Ever since we got him we knew he needed a friend. We have been searching up and down for a female mini Donkey that we can bottle feed with him. We would be open to an adult female mini Donkey, but we worry she wouldn't be as sweet to us and our other animals. We also thought about getting him a goat friend(if we get a goat it would have to be a Nubian). But we don't want to spend a fortune on different kinds of feeds. Behind our house there is 6 acres of trees, grass, and shrubs, but it is not fenced in. We are putting up a fence around a large pine tree, and building a shelter for Donkey. We considered a female sheep as well, but we don't just want a yard decoration, we want an affectionate animal like Donkey. All we know is that Donkey is SUPER lonely by himself, so we have to get him a friend soon. We have been looking on Craigslist, Facebook, and at several farms since we got him, and can't fine any Donkeys. Although, we have been offered several goats, and a sheep, we just aren't sure. Several people have told us just to get him a goat, and several people have told us absolutely not to get a goat or sheep, because he will accidentally kill it. I do think that if we get a goat or sheep it would need to be an adult. What should we do? And sorry it's sooo long!


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)




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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

That is sooooo adorable,  what a wonderful looking family  ( four legged included) .... I am a goat lover myself so i would lean in that direction  unless you found another mini.... you will get more opinions, I'm  sure. We have nigerians,  so less feed, small size and easier cuddles, lol....best of luck to you with you search for DONKEYS  best friend ...


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> That is sooooo adorable,  what a wonderful looking family  ( four legged included) .... I am a goat lover myself so i would lean in that direction  unless you found another mini.... you will get more opinions, I'm  sure. We have nigerians,  so less feed, small size and easier cuddles, lol....best of luck to you with you search for DONKEYS  best friend ...


Thank you! My daughter REALLY wants to get him a goat, So maybe we will find him a goat friend!


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

I just brought my tablet into our office and showed my husband your photos, ....we both are in love with him..., Years ago i had nubians,  now i have the little guys....they are all fun.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)




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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

Here is our just born baby Hope....this photo is for your daughters side of the argument , lol....


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> I just brought my tablet into our office and showed my husband your photos, ....we both are in love with him..., Years ago i had nubians,  now i have the little guys....they are all fun.
> Yes! They are all so sweet we just love the Nubians long ears and their attitudes. We also thing a bigger breed would be better for Sonkey since he will get a little bit bigger, but we don't really know...lol


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

The baby is sooo cute! She just said: Yes, see why we should get a goat!


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

TXFarmGirl said:


> The baby is sooo cute! She just said: Yes, see why we should get a goat!


Sending you more pictures, lol


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)




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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)




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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

OMGosh! They are too precious! Yours look cute & cuddly, but other Nigerian dwarfs we've seen just look wired to us...lol.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

The last photo is Lilly who is six months old.... the 2nd to last, the chamois and white is nine months old....


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

I think they would be great, but I would worry about donkey stepping on them...what do you think?


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> The last photo is Lilly who is six months old.... the 2nd to last, the chamois and white is nine months old....


If you get one from a good breeder,  at a young age , they will follow you and Donkey  and be your best buddy. Good luck in your decision  making, but i rooting  for your daughter, lol


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

Thank you! She is excited she has someone on her side, lol! We will post pictures of what ever we end up getting.


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## Devonviolet (Nov 15, 2018)

Welcome to Backyard Herds!  What a precious little mini-donkey you have! 

We have goats, chickens and ducks.  We used to have a cranky turkey hen, but she recently passed away. I don’t have any experience with donkeys.

Where abouts do you live in East Texas?  There are several of us in the general vacinity. We occasionally get together for a meal and fun conversation. DH and I are retired (well, actually that’s a misnomer ). It’s almost impossible to live on a farm and not work. 
Anyway, we live not too far from Pickton, if you know where that is.

I don’t know anyone with donkeys, however we occasionally see donkeys grazing in fields, as we drive around. None of them are mini’s though.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

Two goats would be best (doe's ) if he is not intact, or you could get wethers  (less expensive than doe's ) the kids learn fast, move quick ...and will adjust to Donkeys  "graceful " walking .


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

You will find something  that you will love, nubians are wonderful...someone will be posting diffrent ideas for you., please post pictures when you can...he is a doll !


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 15, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> You will find something  that you will love, nubians are wonderful...someone will be posting diffrent ideas for you., please post pictures when you can...he is a doll !


FYI, she(Alera, my daughter) Loves both of your profile pictures! And, Thank you both so much. My daughter said that you are speaking her language even more Happy Goats, I bet getting 2 would be best. Devonviolet, we live in Longview, but winnsboro isn't too too far from us!


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

@StarSpangledNubians .... your pictures are beautiful. ...makes me miss nubians  !


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## StarSpangledNubians (Nov 15, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> @StarSpangledNubians .... your pictures are beautiful. ...makes me miss nubians  !


Thank you! I love my Nubian girls. They can be a bit of a pain sometimes though for sure!


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 15, 2018)

StarSpangledNubians said:


> Thank you! I love my Nubian girls. They can be a bit of a pain sometimes though for sure!


Yes, they all can be a pain but the pleasure is worth it...evertime i see a healthy well taken care of a nubian ...oh how my heart aches. But at 66 i am still strong enough to tend to our herd of 11, and breed them and pick them up when i want to. A full grown nubian  is too much for me now....but yours are perfect, nice job !


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## Devonviolet (Nov 18, 2018)

Hey @TXFarmGirl, have you found a friend for your Donkee?  I was looking at goats on East TX Craigs List and found a mini-donkey for sale, near Commerce.  The listing didn’t actually mention the donkey. It just shows a pic of it. So, I sent a message to the seller and asked about it.  I got a reply and he said that the one, in the picture was sold, but he had others priced from $380-1000.  I wrote back and asked what was avialable for $380, but he never got back to me.  If you want to follow up on it, here is the listing.

https://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/grd/6703714164.html


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 18, 2018)

Wonderful, thank you so so much! We found one, but we are waiting to see pictures of her first. I will contact them if this one isn't good. Thanks again, that is so kind of you.


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## B&B Happy goats (Nov 18, 2018)

I am excited to see the picures too ...now ya all can work on the goats for my friend Alera....


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 18, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> I am excited to see the picures too ...now ya all can work on the goats for my friend Alera....


We will definitely have to get some goats when we get more property!


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## Devonviolet (Nov 18, 2018)

Whatever you end up with, I look forward to seeing photos. That mini-donkey, in the Craigs List listing sure was cute!  I could love a mini-donkey in a heart beat. However, I’m told donkeys and LGDs don’t get along so well. Our Maremma’s did come first. And they have done an amazing job guarding our animals.

@StarSpangledNubians, Love, Love, Love your Nubian Kids. OMG, I could fall for that first one!  When I found our Rosemary on Craigs List, I fell in love at first sight. But, when I showed her picture to DH, all he said was, “NO!”   But, when I perused Craigs List again two months later, she was still there.  So, I told DH it MUST mean I was supposed to have her, and he capitulated.  I drove five hours, round trip, to get her, and it was well worth it. She is an amazing goat.  

Recently, a friend sent me an article, talking about why goat milk works for people with milk allergies. I am sensitive to casein (protein in milk).  I don’t understand the science, but in the article, it mentioned that Nubian and Alpine milk is better for people who are allergic to milk.  So, I’m thinking I am going to work towards, maybe, getting another Nubian doe, or see if I can find a Nubian Buck, to breed Rosemary to. 

Do you know anything about that @StarSpangledNubians?


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 18, 2018)

Devonviolet said:


> Whatever you end up with, I look forward to seeing photos. That mini-donkey, in the Craigs List listing sure was cute!  I could love a mini-donkey in a heart beat. However, I’m told donkeys and LGDs don’t get along so well. Our Maremma’s did come first. And they have done an amazing job guarding our animals.
> 
> @StarSpangledNubians, Love, Love, Love your Nubian Kids. OMG, I could fall for that first one!  When I found our Rosemary on Craigs List, I fell in love at first sight. But, when I showed her picture to DH, all he said was, “NO!”   But, when I perused Craigs List again two months later, she was still there.  So, I told DH it MUST mean I was supposed to have her, and he capitulated.  I drove five hours, round trip, to get her, and it was well worth it. She is an amazing goat.
> 
> ...


We will post pictures as soon as we get some!


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 24, 2018)

Ok guys, we change our minds a lot...lol! We are now trying to decide if we should get Donkey this adorable MALE mini mule that was born like October 8th that we could bottle feed with Donkey and have them both gelded, or if we should get Donkey a small adult FEMALE mini horse?


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## greybeard (Nov 24, 2018)

Definitely geld the mule and donkey!


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 24, 2018)

This is the little boy that we are most likely going to get! His momma is tiny, and he is it's bitty...


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## TXFarmGirl (Nov 30, 2018)

Here are a few pictures of our baby, but they aren't very good pic. He was extremely skittish & scared when we got him last Sunday, but has really taken to my Daughter. He still isn't as sweet as Donkey, but he is a complete different animal compared to how he started out. We haven't been able to get him to take a bottle, but he drinks a lot of water, eats a lot of grass, hay, sweet feed, and the milk based pellets. He kicks at us and Donkey very often, and very hard. He is 6 weeks old, and over all, we are glad to have him.


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## Carla D (Dec 1, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


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TXFarmGirl said:


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That is a very loved and well taken care of little donkey. I would to have a mini donkey or mini pony on our farm. Your Donkee looks quite content in the house.


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## Carla D (Dec 1, 2018)

B&B Happy goats said:


> View attachment 54773


_I’m in love with your babies. _


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## TXFarmGirl (Dec 1, 2018)

Oh yes, Donkey absolutely LOVES being in the house! If we don't lock the front door, he will knock on it, ring the door bell, and then let himself in to find one of us...then he is off to the fridge wanting a snack, lol!


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## Carla D (Dec 1, 2018)

TXFarmGirl said:


> Oh yes, Donkey absolutely LOVES being in the house! If we don't lock the front door, he will knock on it, ring the door bell, and then let himself in to find one of us...then he is off to the fridge wanting a snack, lol!


I guess he is part of the family. Donkey is so cute. I’ve never seen a red pony that bright before. He’s a cutie.


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## TXFarmGirl (Dec 1, 2018)

Carla D said:


> I guess he is part of the family. Donkey is so cute. I’ve never seen a red pony that bright before. He’s a cutie.


He is pretty red! We love it


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## B&B Happy goats (Dec 1, 2018)

Congratulations  to you and your newest family member, looking forward to see what goats you will be adding fory  your daughter....


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## TXFarmGirl (May 2, 2019)

Update on Donkey and Mule:

They are both doing well, and getting sweeter, calmer, and more gentle & obedient everyday.


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## Devonviolet (May 2, 2019)

Awww!  How sweet!!!


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## B&B Happy goats (May 3, 2019)

Thats love on four legs


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## Baymule (May 3, 2019)

Did you get them both castrated?


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## Bunnylady (May 3, 2019)

This is great news (and your fuzzy little boys are just plain_ adorable_)!


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