We are getting 4 goats, 3 female and 1 male. We will be keeping them in the Hutto(TX) area where there's coyotes and stuff. We have a jenny. Do you think if we put her with the goats that she will protect them? I hear thats what dokeys do, but I wasn't sure.
2007-06-05 10:34:08 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
It depends on the donkey- if your jenny comes to view the goats as members of her herd, then she almost certainly will protect them. Most donkeys don't like strange dogs/foxes/etc., and will chase them away, but that won't necessarily protect the other animals if it's a large paddock.
Just keep a close eye on everything when you get your goats- maybe put them in adjacent paddocks if you can so that they can get to know each other through a fence before they go into the same paddock. I've known a few donkeys who absolutely hate goats and would try to chase THEM out of the paddock.
Hopefully it will work out for you- I know quite a few people who've used donks as guarding animals for sheep and goats with great success.
2007-06-06 22:33:33 · answer #1 · answered by Loz 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jennys are great alarm systems and protectors. If you notice when you drive by sheep farms, horse farms/boarders, or goat farms, quite often you will see a donkey or two among the herds. This is not just because they wanted a donkey. Donkeys are fearless, and will attack anything that comes around, and have been known to fight to the death (usually the predators), and the whole time they will be braying loudly for the herd to move away from the danger. People have often said that donkeys are stupid but, I have found them to be quite intelligent. They are always aware of their surroundings, and will often sound an alarm when none of the other animals can see what the danger is.
You are very lucky to have a jenny to put in with them. Ask any farmer and he/she will tell you the same thing.
Good luck with your goats, and enjoy your Jenny. She could turn out to be a nice pet as well as a very good protector.
(Yes, donkeys can make very good pets, and will even protect their owners).
2007-06-05 11:41:16 · answer #2 · answered by Jacqueline B 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm in San Antonio. Grew up near Chicago - I am NOT a country boy. But I've heard the same thing! They are both "herd" animals, and I guess they develop a family type relationship of protecting their own...?
2007-06-05 10:43:12 · answer #3 · answered by teran_realtor 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Armed donkeys.
2016-05-17 13:28:30 · answer #4 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋