Donkey Tips, Donkz Acres

Have you ever lost something important and had no idea where it could be? I have, car keys phone, important papers however, when you walk out to the paddock and all the donkeys and a mustang are nowhere to be found. One or two have escaped but never ALL of them!

The phone rings and it is the County Animal people calling and asking if we were missing (at that time there were 6) donkeys and one white horse, they had us on their call list because they had helped round up some of our herd before. I said yes sounding both relieved and embarrassed, seems that they had received a call from a gentleman 3 miles from our place who reported that when he went out to get the paper there were 5 donkeys and a horse standing at his pasture gate looking like they wanted in so he let them in and they just started grazing like they belonged. I planned to pick them up later when I could find someone help me get them loaded in our trailer. Scary I thought about all the obstacles they had escaped during their journey, they had to cross 4 county roads with traffic and who knows what else and not one of them would tell us about their adventure!

Our vet microchipped each donkey as we added new members to the herd listing each one with the national database should someone find them; they could trace them back to us. Most animal owners with dogs and cats have them microchipped. Here in Florida with the hurricanes and other serious weather it is just important or maybe more so to have your horses and donkeys chipped

See Nancy Loving DVM posting on The State of Microchip use in Horses –
Thehorse.com/19431/the-state-of-the-microchip/

It’s late afternoon at Donkz Acres and the yard crews have been here cutting grass. We have a temporary fence that we setup in the front area of the house where when the grass in the pasture is not at its best it is setup so we can put the donkeys on grass off and on through the summer. You know, it has plastic poles and you put around it. My sister Clyde and I decided it would be a good time to put the donkeys in the temporary fence and we could sit and watch them and relax.

Oh my gosh! at the first sign of their halters EVERYONE is at the gate. “Me! Me! take me first!” We have kind of an order that we take them out. First it’s Petunia, our little Poitou jenny. She is the smallest in statue but the biggest in attitude and yes, you will take her first or she will squeeze in between the bigger donkeys and out she goes all by herself and proud of herself. “I can do it myself!” and there she goes with her little butt swishing and strutting like the little self-centered ass that she is, and she does go over to the temporary fence.

Always Halter your Donkey

Meanwhile, the others cannot be trusted to go where they need to and must wait for their halters to be put on. First is Barz, my sister’s 7-year-old Mammoth/grey mix jenny, then Rosco another 7-year-old mammoth, then Bugz my 15-year-old Poitou. Atlas, my mustang, must wait until later and go solo because he has a tenancy to “herd” the donkeys and then total mayhem happens.

Never Trust a Donkey Outside of the Fence

Well, little Miss Petunia has decided that she did not need to go into the fenced area because she is just “special” and way above the others in status and my sister said, “Oh, she’s OK she will stay right there. I believe I could trust her and put her out by herself anytime.”

“Okey-dokey”, I said. “But it is not fair to the others.” We sat and watched as they all grazed with Miss Petunia just strutting in front of the others. “Ha Ha, look at me I am free-you’re not Nanna Nanna Woo Woo!” My sister got up to get some water and I watched Petunia watch her leave.

Hmm, I thought I bet she is about to take a walk. Sure enough, she walked right in front of me and the others, with that little snotty attitude she has, and just kept on walking, picking up the pace quickly.

Beware Herd Mentality

“CLYDE, PETUNIA IS LEAVING!” I yelled. I could not go after her because Barz and Rosco were wanting to step over the temp fence and go with her.

Find Someone to Help Your Chase Your Run Away Donkey

“Wait for us Petunia!” Being the little sister, I could not help but crack up laughing at the sight of my sister trying to catch up with Petunia, yelling for her to stop! Which she would do until sister got closer then she’d kick up those back feet and take off again. She was having a good time!

I lost sight of them then here comes, my sister sweat dripping down her face staggering, but no Petunia!

“Where is your donkey?” I asked, hardly able to stand up I was laughing so hard.

Entice Your Donkey Home with Treats

“She is in the neighbor’s pasture and will not let me catch her! It’s gonna be a long time before I trust her cute little ass again!” she said. OH NO MY SIDE HURT from laughing then she got mad at me for laughing.

“Yep, you can trust her out by herself any time!” I had to rub it in one more time as she grabbed “cookies” to convince Petunia to come home. I put the others back inside their area and went to help her with the run away. I swear little Petunia had a smirk on her face feeling really pleased with herself. What fun it is having donkeys.

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How to Catch a Runaway Donkey - #donkey #farm #farmlife #rurallving