# Llama And Donkey Together as Guardians



## goatboy1973

I currently have a 5 yr old intact male Llama who is an excellent guardian for my herd of pure and commercial Spanish goats. He is the perfect gentleman and even helps clean off newborn kids and stands guard when a doe is giving birth. A neighbor of ours has some Alpine goats that she just sold out of and now is left with her 3 yr old female mini-donkey guardian. Our neighbor is giving us the mini-donkey since she knows the donkey will be going to a good home and we have accepted. My question is generally, do donkeys and llamas get along well? The llama has never seen or cohabitated with a donkey and the same goes for the donkey. I have several multi-acre paddocks that in use for pasture rotation and have the means to keep the 2 separated if needed but I would like to be able for all my goats, llama and donkey to be rotated at one time and have both guardians in the same pasture for a one two punch if a predator somehow enters my pasture. Anyone have any experience with a multi-species guardian animal system???


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## goatgurl

so have you put them together yet?  i haven't heard any screaming or cussing from Tennessee so did all go well?  I'm just a curious kinda gurl


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## goatboy1973

goatgurl said:


> so have you put them together yet?  i haven't heard any screaming or cussing from Tennessee so did all go well?  I'm just a curious kinda gurl


LOL!!! Cussing and screaming. We pick up our mini-donkey tomorrow night. Listen real close tomorrow night around 6pm.


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## goatgurl

lol!


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## goatboy1973

Well..... We can't pick up the donkey until Saturday. No screaming and cussing yet. LOL!!!


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## goatboy1973

Well, we finally got our mini-donkey or should I say mini-mule. Yep, a mini-mule. She is just as cute as a speckled pup. Solid black with 3 white socks.She has a bit of an underbite like a bulldog which gives her character but doesn't hinder her ability to eat. Yes there was some spitting, some humming, and some whining from the llama, and some noise from the mini-mule that was in between a horse and a donkey sound with a little screaming mixed in. LOL!!! We introduced the 2 with 5 feet high woven wire and 2 strands of electric between them. The previous owners of "Molly The Mini-Mule" told us that she can run faster than a dog and is fearless at defending her herd of goats. She once fought off 5 dogs attempting to attack her goats. Maybe eventually we will put the 2 together in the same pasture for the true one-two punch for predators. Molly Mule currently resides in the buck lot guarding 5 of our commercial bucklings. Once they go to market, Molly Mule will go out with the llama and rest of the herd.


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## goatgurl

i woudered how things turned out yesterday.  of course we need a picture of molly.  i can just hear it all now spitting, cussing and whining on one side and that ear splitting ehshawww from the mule.  i bet every goat in a square block ran for cover.  i bet they will become buddys before it is over.   thanks for the smile


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## goatboy1973

Yes, I will get pictures soon! My mini mule is only 31 inches tall but thinks she is 15 hands tall. LOL!!! She gets along great with the bucks. They are still a bit cautious around her. They were all in the barn the other day and Molly the mini-mule sneezed and the bucks took off running out of the barn like the start of the New York City Marathon. I will get pics soon though.


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## HoneyDreameMomma

Sounds like it's been fun.  Can't wait to see pics.


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## goatboy1973

New pics of "Molly the Mini-Guardian Mule". 
 View attachment 4776


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## goatboy1973

goatgurl said:


> i woudered how things turned out yesterday.  of course we need a picture of molly.  i can just hear it all now spitting, cussing and whining on one side and that ear splitting ehshawww from the mule.  i bet every goat in a square block ran for cover.  i bet they will become buddys before it is over.   thanks for the smile


Smiles are definitely free! LOL!!!


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## goatgurl

just got back on line after abt 10 days and saw molly's pix.   oh my is she cute or what but what big teeth she has.  how are things going now?  has mr llama made friends yet?


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## goatboy1973

goatgurl said:


> just got back on line after abt 10 days and saw molly's pix.   oh my is she cute or what but what big teeth she has.  how are things going now?  has mr llama made friends yet?


Thanks for the compliments. Yeah, Molly's lower incisors are a hot mess. LOL!!! She has the same underbite as our bulldog. She could use braces on her teeth I guess but that one little tooth that sticks out is her signature. Her and "Carl" the llama ignore each other for now.


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## goatboy1973

Molly is so very short and petite. She is officially only 32 inches tall at the withers. Teeny tiny as far as mules are concerned.


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## goatboy1973

Molly is so very short and petite. She is officially only 32 inches tall at the withers. Teeny tiny as far as mules are concerned.


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## Southern by choice

Wow that is the same size as my Pyrenees! 

Ignoring is good I think... at least the llama didn't kill her!
How are the goats doing with her?


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## Pioneer Chicken

Oh, she is so pretty! : )


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## goatboy1973

The goats are a bit leery of her still. They haven't figured out what type of critter she is yet but all is good at Calfee Farms. The walnut tree leaves are starting to turn yellow and fall and the persimmon trees are loaded down with persimmons and their leaves are turning yellow as well. Most all livestock love persimmons as well as wildlife like coons, deer, and possums.


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## goatgurl

the hickory and sumac are turning here.  i was sitting in the backyard yesterday with emma and nada,  reading a bit and watching the ducks on the pond when little bits of "stuff"  started falling on us.  i looked up and there was a fat little grey squirrel peeling his hickory nuts on me.  lucky for him i was in a mellow mood and just laughed, normally i would have tried my best to make sure he died of lead poisoning before he left.  i hate that they try hard to tear up  my bird feeders and such.  i generously give them 58 acres to live on and just keep only a couple for myself.  seems fair to me and besides i like dumplings as much as they like hickory nuts.
    I'm sure carl really thinks molly is cute but wants to play hard to get.  you'll just to nonchalantly leave  the gate open between them in a month or so.  my guess is by then neither of them will care and will be fine.  and you're right, she is tiny and so dang cute. 
     first picture is my emma, my mom and i rescued her from the wilds of Oklahoma during a horrible thunderstorm.  that was 11 years ago and she has been my constant companion ever since.  she is suppose to be 1/2 cairn terrior and the other 1/2 was a pug/beagle cross.  basically she is just a mutt but i love her very much.   and  below her is nada, thus named because she is NOT A  turken or a naked neck


  but a rhode island red who got all the skin and feathers pulled off her neck by one very bad Maremma pup named Katie.  nada lived in the goat milking room for months while i doctored her neck, fed her special and gave her all the goat milk she would drink.  now other than being bald around her neck she is a healthy, happy laying hen who follows me all around the farm.  i have to admit, i do spoil her a lot


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## goatboy1973

Poor Rhode Island Red. She looks like she has recovered just fine. Didn't know chickens liked milk but it stands to reason that this is an excellent source of protein, vitamins c & e (the body uses these 2 vitamins for bone and skin repair/ growth), and energy source in an easy to digest form (liquid) that quickly absorbs into the bloodstream. Good for you to think outside the box.


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## goatgurl

lol don't ya know that goats milk is good for whatever ails ya.  she is doing great.  laying like a champ and following me around everywhere.  trust me i know its not true love, she is just spoiled to the treats.


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## goatboy1973

Our farm bulldog "Brittany" (1/2 English & 1/2 American bulldog) absolutely adores my wife. She follows her step for step wherever she goes all day long. They are inseparable. I know that the dog loves my son & I but the way she follows my wife's commands and always keeps eyes on her is just short of amazing. Anyhoo, this has been the wettest Fall I can remember and extra dewormings are definitely in order this year. I also saw our new herdsire breeding 2 of our Kiko does today. Will the babies be black like the herdsire or white like their mommas or a diluted color like blue or tan or white with the dark pigmented skin? Who knows? I just hope they are does and twins and healthy.


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