Problem donkey

[helenls]

I have an ungelded jack who is 18 months old. We found a sheep in shock with its horns ‘chewed’ off last week and tonight our lamb looks like he has gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. I do think it’s the donkey. I know he needs to be gelded but what else can I do to stop this aggression from him? I want him to be part of our farm life and I am devastated that he is injuring other animals.....help

 

[Beekissed]

I have an ungelded jack who is 18 months old. We found a sheep in shock with its horns ‘chewed’ off last week and tonight our lamb looks like he has gone 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. I do think it’s the donkey. I know he needs to be gelded but what else can I do to stop this aggression from him? I want him to be part of our farm life and I am devastated that he is injuring other animals.....help

Gelding will do nothing for it. I had a sweet jenny donkey try to stomp my new lambs to death and tried to stomp their mothers for defending them. Also tried to stomp a puppy.

Was talking to a guy on FB who said his neighbor's donkeys jumped his fence to kill his lambs...they killed 40+ lambs.

I think it can be successful for donkeys that were raised from a foal with lambs and sheep and to remove them during lambing time but from what I'm studying up on, the donkeys that DON'T kill lambs, kids, dogs, cats, pigs, and calves are the exception and not the rule.

 

[Beekissed]

This guy calls up coyote right in the same field as a herd of donkeys....

 

[Baymule]

Separate the donkey.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Agreed get them apart, dont wait for him to kill something. Gelding is not going to help or fix it.

Our friend had 2 donkeys and was offered a third.....he agreed. Brought the donkey home and put her in her own pen to get friendly with his 2 donkeys. 3 days later he let the new donkey out, which seemed fine with the other 2 so he left them alone. Came out a little while later to do evening chores, found a dead adult duck. He couldnt figure out what happened, things went on for a few days, more and more poultry being found dead without a for sure cause. He started watching out the back window but never saw any kind of predators. After a few weeks his pig had piglets in an outside nest. He watched from his back deck as the donkey jumped the fence and stomped all the newborn piglets to death. He shot that donkey dead as fast as he could load a gun.

He has never had a single problem with the other 2 donkeys and any type of livestock. He just couldnt believe a tiny donkey could cause so much damage for no apparent reason.

The only few things I know about donkeys is they are stubborn and habit forming.....I don't think you will break him of his newly formed aggression habit.

 

[Mini Horses]

As already said..some will, some won't and castration won't stop it. I've owned many. Raised the minis. Had some that could NOT be trusted with most small animals. It's strange. They can be awesome but if a penchant for something, no stopping. Also they are way, way stronger than they look.
My jack had one jennet he hated, tried to kill her...ok with all others.

 

[helenls]

So, do I just separate him from all other livestock?

 

[Baymule]

Yes. A jack will even chase after cows and other livestock when they are in heat. He will attack your ewes when they come in heat.

 

[misfitmorgan]

You can either separate him alone or try to find him a donkey friend or a horse friend or try to rehome him to someplace that has either of those. No guarantee he will get along with those either though.

 

[Baymule]

I had a jack that attacked my gelding and ripped him up. That gelding carried those scars the rest of his life. There were deep bite marks on the crest of the geldings neck.