Care of the miniature donkeys

TINA FLESHMAN

ROUTE 1 BOX 1169

SPOUT SPRING, VA 24593

(434) 352-9744

REGISTERED MINIATURE DONKEYS OF QUALITY FOR SHOW, BREEDING AND PETS. WE OFFER FOALS, BRED JENNETS, BREEDING JACKS AND GELDINGS FOR SALE

THE INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS OFFERED AS A QUICK DESCRIPTION ON THE PRACTICES USED AT TWIN LAKES FARM IN KEEPING OUR DONKEYS HEALTHY AND HAPPY. IT SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A COMPLETE GUIDE TO CARE AND KEEPING OF MINIATURE DONKEYS. THE INFORMATION INCLUDED IN THIS PAGE IS NOT INTENDED TO REPLACE THE ADVISE OF YOUR VET OR OTHER PROFESSIONAL. IT IS JUST A REFERENCE AND IS THE WAY WE DO THINGS AT OUR FARM.

MINIATURE DONKEYS ARE PART OF THE EQUINE FAMILY. THEY ORIGINATED IN THE MEDITERRANEAN ISLANDS OF SICILY AND SARDINIA. THEY ARE HARDY, LONG LIVED AND MAKE GREAT PETS. THEY ARE GENTLE KIND ANIMALS AND VERY AFFECTIONATE. I TRUST MY DONKEYS WITH CHILDREN AND HAVE SEEN HOW THEY CAN BE SO VERY KIND TO THE HANDICAPPED. I HAVE SEEN ONE OF MY JENNETS ALLOW A HANDICAPPED CHILD LAY ALL OVER HER AS THIS CHILD COULD NOT STAND OR WALK ON HER OWN. THIS JENNET SEEMED TO UNDERSTAND AND STOOD SO VERY STILL WITH THE CHILD LAID ACROSS HER BACK.

THERE ARE A GROWING NUMBER OF DONKEY AND MULE SHOWS AND IF YOU ENJOY THAT ASPECT OF EQUINE, THEN DONKEYS COULD BE FOR YOU. THEY TRAVEL WELL AND YOU WILL MEET WONDERFUL PEOPLE AT THE DONKEY SHOWS.

MAYBE YOU ARE INTERESTED IN A PART TIME INTEREST AND STARTING A SMALL HERD OF DONKEYS TO BREED, THIS CAN BE AN ENJOYABLE PAST TIME, RAISING THESE WONDERFUL ANIMALS.

DONKEYS HAVE LONG LIFE SPANS AVERAGING 25 TO 35 YEARS OF AGE. WE HAVE ONE JENNET HERE WHO IS 21 YEARS YOUNG. SHE IS PLUMP AND HAPPY AND GIVES US A FOAL EVERY YEAR,

WE MICROCHIP OUR DONKEYS AT WEANING AND EACH CHIP NUMBER IS RECORDED IN THE REGISTRATION OF THE DONKEY WITH THE MINIATURE DONKEY REGISTRY. WE USE AVID MICROCHIPS AND WE INSERT THEM INTO THE BASE OF THE RIGHT EAR. THIS GIVES EACH DONKEY A LIFETIME OF IDENTIFICATION.

THE MALE DONKEYS ARE CALLED JACKS, THE FEMALE DONKEYS ARE CALLED JENNETS. A JENNET CARRIES HER BABY FOR 11 1/2 TO 13 MONTHS AND BIRTHS A SINGLE FOAL. FOALS ARE WEANED AROUND 6 MONTHS OF AGE.

THERE ARE A LOT OF INTERNET SITES WITH LOTS OF INFORMATION ON DONKEYS SOME THAT WE RECOMMEND ARE LISTED BELOW. WE WILL TRY IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO ADD MANY MORE PAGES WITH PHOTO'S ON DONKEY CARE AND INFORMATION ABOUT DONKEYS. WE ARE ALWAYS HERE TO ANSWER E-MAILS CONCERNING DONKEYS.

WE ARE MEMEBERS OF THE AMERICAN DONKEY AND MULE SOCIETY AND THE NATIONAL MINIATURE DONKEY ASSOCIATION. ALL OF OUR DONKEYS ARE REGISTERED.

CHECK OUT THE FOLLOWING LINKS AND COME BACK TO PICK OUT THE NEXT LOVE IN YOUR LIFE.

WE USE AVID MICROCHIPS AS A FORM OF IDENTIFICATION ON OUR DONKEYS. WE FIRST STARTED USING THIS FORM OF "BRANDING" ABOUT SIX YEARS AGO AND HAVE HAD GREAT SUCCESS WITH THE CHIPS STAYING READABLE OVER THE YEARS. WE IMPLANT THE CHIPS WHEN WE WEAN THE YOUNGSTERS AND TAKE PICTURES FOR REGISTRATION. THE MICROCHIPS NUMBERS ARE THEN RECORDED ON THEIR REGISTRATION PAPERS. WE HAVE FOUND THIS TO BE A GREAT TOOL AT THE FARM ALSO, AS I GUESS I AM THE ONLY ONE WHO KNOWS FOR SURE WHO IS WHO AROUND HERE. WHEN YOU HAVE A LARGE HERD AS WE DO IT IS IMPORTANT THAT YOU KEEP EVERYONE IDENTIFIED AS WHEN THE BABIES ARE GROWING UP THEY DO CHANGE APPEARANCE WITH AGE. THE CHIP AND READER ALLOWS ME TO GO INTO THE FIELDS WITH THE DONKEYS AND KNOW FOR CERTAIN THAT WE ARE CORRECT ON WHO IS WHO.

WE FIRST HAD THE VET TO COME OUT AND SHOW ME HOW TO IMPLANT THE CHIPS INTO THE DONKEYS AND AFTER THAT IT WAS VERY EASY TO DO MYSELF. WE ALWAYS IMPLANT THEM INTO THE BASE OF THE RIGHT EAR BUT THERE ARE OTHER LOCATIONS ON THE NECK THAT ARE ALSO IMPLANTABLE. WE HAVE FOUND THAT OVER TIME THERE HAVE BEEN A FEW OF MY OLDER JENNYS THAT WERE IMPLANTED YEARS AGO BY OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THEIR CHIPS MIGRATE AND THEY BECOME UNREADABLE, BUT IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CHIP CAPSULE IN RECENT YEARS HAVE MADE THIS LESS OF A PROBLEM.

WE VACCINATE ALL OUR DONKEYS AGAINST EASTERN, WESTERN ENCEPHALITIS, INFLUENZA, TETANUS, RABIES AND RHINO. BECAUSE OF THE SIZE OF OUR HERD WE DO ALL OUR OWN VACCINATION BEGINNING AT THREE MONTHS OF AGE ON THE BABIES. IT REQUIRES TWO INITIAL VACCINATIONS THEN YEARLY THEREAFTER. BREEDING JENNYS REQUIRE ADDITIONAL VACCINATIONS IN THE 5TH 7TH AND 9TH MONTHS OF GESTATION WITH A VACCINATION AGAINST A FORM OF RHINOPNEUMONITIS THAT CAUSES ABORTIONS. FOR THIS VACCINATION WE USE A PHNEUMABORT VACCINATION.

IF YOU ARE SHOWING YOUR DONKEYS OR THEY FREQUENTLY LEAVE THE FARM AND ARE EXPOSED TO OTHER EQUINE, YOU VET MAY SUGGEST A DIFFERENT SCHEDULE FOR VACCINATIONS. ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR VET ABOUT VACCINATION SCHEDULE REQUIRED FOR YOUR DONKEYS. THERE ARE ALLERGIC REACTIONS THAT CAN OCCUR WITH VACCINATIONS AND THESE CAN BE LIFE THREATENING TO YOU DONKEYS. EVEN A DONKEY THAT HAS NEVER HAD A REACTION TO A VACCINATION BEFORE CAN HAVE ONE AT ANY GIVEN VACCINATION. IT IS BEST TO BE CAUTIOUS THAN TO BE SORRY. BE PREPARED WITH EPINEPHRINE AND KNOW THE SIGNS TO LOOK FOR IN A DONKEY THAT MAY BE HAVING A REACTION.

REGULAR TRIMMING OF YOUR DONKEYS HOOVES ARE REQUIRED. ALL DONKEYS FEET GROW AT DIFFERENT RATES AND THEIR DIET CAN CHANGE THE GROWTH RATE OF THEIR HOOVES. HERE AT TWIN LAKES WE TRIM OUR DONKEYS ON AN AS NEEDED BASIS. SOME OF THE DONKEYS RARELY NEED MORE THAN A SLIGHT TRIM OF THE TOE WHILE OTHERS REQUIRE MORE EXTENSIVE AND CORRECTIVE TRIMMING FROM PRIOR HOOF PROBLEMS. CLEAN YOUR DONKEYS HOOVES OFTEN TO KEEP BACTERIA FROM FORMING IN THE HOOF AND YOU WILL HAVE LESS PROBLEMS IN THE LONG RUN. DONKEYS HOOVES ARE VERY COMPACT AND TEND TO COLLECT MUD, MANURE AND OTHER AGENTS DEEP INTO THE SOLE OF THE HOOF. CLEAN THEM OUT OFTEN ESPECIALLY IN WET WEATHER AS THRUSH AND OTHER BACTERIAL INFECTIONS CAN CAUSE YOUR DONKEY A LOT OF DISCOMFORT. WHITE LINE PROBLEMS OCCUR OFTEN IN DONKEYS DUE TO THE CONFIRMATION OF THE HOOF AND KEEPING THE TOES TRIMMED AND HOOF CLEAN CAN HELP TO WARD OFF PROBLEMS. AT TWIN LAKES WE SPRAY THE UNDERSIDE OF THE HOOF (THE SOLE AND FROG) WITH HALF CLOROX AND HALF WATER WHEN WE CLEAN THE FEET IF IT HAS BEEN ESPECIALLY WET TO HELP TO KILL BACTERIA IN THE HOOF. YOU SHOULD HAVE A GOOD FARRIER TO TRIM YOU DONKEYS ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THIS THEY CAN SET UP A TRIMMING SCHEDULE WITH YOU AND LOOK FOR PROBLEMS IN THE HOOF THAT MAY NEED ATTENTION.

WORMING YOUR DONKEYS ON A REGULAR BASIS KEEPS THEM FREE OF WORMS AND HEALTHY. ROTATE YOUR WORMER SO THAT WORMS CAN NOT BUILD A RESISTANCE TO ONE FORM OF WORMER. CONSULT YOUR VET FOR PROPER WORMING SCHEDULES AND CHOICE OF WORMER. SOME WORMERS ARE BETTER FOR BABIES AND SAFER TO USE THAN OTHERS AND SOME ARE BETTER AT CERTAIN TIMES OF YEAR TO RID THE DONKEYS OF WORMS THAT OCCUR IN CERTAIN WEATHER SO CHECK WITH YOU VET AND YOU CAN COME UP WITH A YEARLY SCHEDULE OF WORMING THAT SUITS YOUR CLIMATE AND YOUR DONKEYS AGE AND ENVIRONMENT.

WE ARE A BREEDING FARM, WE HAVE BETWEEN 10 AND 15 BABIES BORN EACH YEAR. WE SELECT EACH JENNET AND JACK TO PAIR FOR THE BEST POSSIBLE MATING TO PRODUCE A QUALITY BABY TO REPRESENT THE BREED OF MINIATURE DONKEYS.

WE DO NOT BREED BABIES. WE LET OUR JENNETS HAVE TIME TO MATURE BEFORE BREEDING THEM. WE EVALUATE EACH JENNET TO BE SURE THAT SHE IS PHYSICALLY MATURE ENOUGH TO BE BRED BEFORE INTRODUCING HER TO A JACK. SOME JENNETS ARE READY BY TWO YEARS OLD, BUT, I HAVE HAD JENNETS THAT WE HAVE RAISED THAT THIS TOOK LONGER TO ACHIEVE AND WE WERE WILLING TO WAIT. ALL JENNETS MATURE AT A DIFFERENT RATE AND YOU MUST GIVE THEM A CHANCE TO REACH MATURITY BEFORE BREEDING THEM. SOME OF OUR JENNETS ARE THREE YEARS OLD BEFORE THEY ARE BRED AND THAT MAKES THEM FOUR BEFORE THEY PRODUCE THEIR FIRST OFFSPRING BUT THE WAIT IS WORTH IT TO INSURE HEALTH FOR BOTH MOTHER AND BABY. WE WOULD NEVER BREED A JENNET BEFORE SHE IS TWO YEARS OLD.

JENNETS CARRY THEIR BABIES FOR ANYWHERE FROM 11 1/2 TO 13 MONTHS SO WE MARK THE CALENDAR AND GESTATION AT ONE FULL YEAR. WE PREPARE THE JENNET AHEAD OF TIME AND SO WE ARE READY WHEN THE BABY COMES. THE JENNETS ARE TAKEN OFF PASTURE AND PUT IN A DRY LOT NEAR THE BARN AND FED GRAIN AND SPECIAL HAY WITH NO FESCUE FOR THE LAST THREE MONTHS BEFORE FOALING. AROUND VIRGINIA IT WOULD BE IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE A PASTURE OF NO FESCUE AS IT WILL SPREAD TO ANY PASTURE YOU PLANTED SO WE PUT THE JENNETS IN A DRY LOT AND FEED HAY THAT IS FREE OF FESCUE. WE HAVE CAMERA'S IN OUR BARN THAT MONITOR THE JENNETS AT NIGHT WITHOUT DISTURBING THEM AND WE FIND THIS VERY HELPFUL IN MONITORING THEM AT FOALING. WE FOAL OUR JENNETS IN STALLS BECAUSE THE WEATHER RARELY COOPERATES IN THE SPRING FOR OUTSIDE FOALING IN VIRGINIA. THE CAMERA'S ALLOW THE JENNETS PRIVACY BUT THEY CAN BE CLOSELY MONITORED. MOST FOALS ARE BORN AT NIGHT SO WE JUST STAY AWAKE A LOT. WE CHECK THE JENNETS BAGS ON A DAILY BASIS AND CAN TELL WHEN FOALING IS CLOSE AND THE JENNET IS MOVED INTO A STALL SO SHE CAN HAVE A DRY, WARM, PRIVATE PLACE TO HAVE HER NEW BABY. WE RARELY MISS A FOALING AND WE RARELY HAVE TO ASSIST A JENNET BUT WE LIKE TO MONITOR HER SO THAT WE CAN ASSIST IF NECESSARY. AT BIRTHING WE STAY JUST OUTSIDE THE STALL IF THE JENNET SEEMS TO BE PROGRESSING IN A NORMAL FOALING. WHEN THE JENNET HAS THE HEAD OUT OF THE BABY WE CLEAN THE NOSE OUT AND LEAVE THEM TO BOND FOR A LITTLE WHILE. WE WATCH ON THE MONITOR FOR THE BABY TO STAND AND NURSE AND THE JENNET TO PASS THE AFTERBIRTH. WE IODINE THE NAVAL OF THE FOAL AND WAIT FOR A FEW HOURS FOR THE JENNET TO TEND TO HER FOAL BEFORE WE IMPRINT OUR FOALS. WHEN THE FOAL IS A FEW DAYS OLD THE JENNET AND FOAL ARE PUT OUT INTO A SMALL FIELD WHERE WE CAN HANDLE THE BABY DAILY AND WATCH FOR SIGNS OF TROUBLE WITH THE FOAL OR JENNET. THE FIELD HAS ACCESS TO A WARM AND DRY PLACE FOR THE FOALS TO REST IN THE STRAW AWAY FROM THE WEATHER.

WE DO NOT BREED OUT JENNETS ON FOAL HEAT AND WAIT UNTIL THEIR BABIES ARE WEANED AND THEIR BODIES RESTED BEFORE REBREEDING THEM. THIS IS OUR CHOICE AND GENERALLY WE ONLY GET ONE BABY FROM A JENNET IN TWO YEARS AS WE LIKE TO BREED FOR SPRING FOALS, GIVING THE FOAL A CHANCE TO GROW TO GET READY FOR THE WINTER. THIS WORKS BEST FOR US AT TWIN LAKES, WE GET FEWER FOALS THIS WAY BUT WE FEEL THAT IT IS GOOD FOR OUR JENNYS TO HAVE THE BREAK.