Oh gosh, they are cute! I have heard that they help keep predators like foxes & coyotes away from the henhouse – not that you are too worried about that but might be a good bargaining point with the hubby! :)
Some wildlife rescue friends have a miniature donkey that thinks he’s a dog. Rather than hang with the camels and assorted other pets, he waits by the front door with the pet dogs. I wonder if it’s true that they are good guards for chickens. 175 new babies arrived today and they eat like little pigs.
Hylla- what breed do you raise? Donkeys can be very people friendly! I’ve also heard that they’re good guard animals – more that they loudly announce intruders, rather than actually go after them.
This new batch is RIR, Ameraucana, Cuckoo Maran, and Danish Brown Leghorn, so all egg colors are covered but only the Amers repeat each year.
Prior years’ hatches still on the farm producing include also Australorp, Barred Pl Rock, Gold and Black Sex Links, Buff Orp, Delaware, NH Red, OE Game, Cochin, Silkies (who hatch anything), Sebright, Calif. White, Crevcouer, BLR Wyand,….
They are for eggs and are not slaughtered for food unless they do something really, really bad. They all learna simple commands and many learn tricks.
The first thing all our chickens learn here is “Stay.” It keeps them from dashing out of the henhouse or yard when the door is open. Up and Down are basic commands and are taught just by naming the activity and praising them when they step up or down. Kiss is taught the same way, so before long, the chickens do the activity named, all in anticipation of the praise, which they really adore.
“Up-Up” means, ‘Please stand up so I can take your eggs.’ I’m very proud of the girls when they do that, and they get many “Thank you”s for the eggs. It’s hysterical when they try to say “Thank you” in their squeaky little voices, and they only say that if I forget my line.
Marcy, a Silkie pullet, gives kisses, says a squeaky “I love you,” and puts her head on my shoulder when I say, “Lay kepela.”
Marius, bantam Cochin, goes “Over” on her back in my hands and stay until I ask her to get up. Then I ask for a hug and she opens one wing over my shoulder and stays there.
I’m wide open to ideas of other things to teach!
Re: the predator thing……. this guy I know has a couple donkeys, as well as a plethora of poultry that he raises and breeds. He told me a story about a coyote who had been lurking around and it cut through the fence into the donkey corral and the donkey chased it, cornered it and starting kicking it! He said the coyote didn’t come back…..
Maybe it was protecting itself, but he says he doesn’t have anymore trouble with foxes and coyotes…..
Donkey’s (especially the jennys) will stomp any member of the canine family to death. My mother-in-law use to raise horses and donkeys and she has told many a story of a jenny going after coyotes and in a couple of cases putting an end to a coyotes future.
They are cute a buttons!!
Ken, that’s so interesting. I’d heard rumors, but good to hear it from someone who knows. What a combination – totally adorable AND lethal to predators.
They are just so cute! If one looked at me with those eyes, he just might get a home here in Southern California! I can just hear the conversation with my husband now!
I have two mini donkeys and WE LOVE THEM. They are the sweetest animals, low maintenance, playful (ours are young), and we are thankful every day that we brought them to our little ranch. But they need a best friend, so it’s best to have them in pairs.
Thanks Terry, I have just added them to my wish list as well! How can anyone not love a donkey, just look at those adorable faces.
Yes, and each face is so unique!
Oh gosh, they are cute! I have heard that they help keep predators like foxes & coyotes away from the henhouse – not that you are too worried about that but might be a good bargaining point with the hubby! :)
Steve does not want donkeys. Sigh. We don’t really have the space for them, either. Just as well – there are so many animals on that wish list!
Some wildlife rescue friends have a miniature donkey that thinks he’s a dog. Rather than hang with the camels and assorted other pets, he waits by the front door with the pet dogs. I wonder if it’s true that they are good guards for chickens. 175 new babies arrived today and they eat like little pigs.
Hylla- what breed do you raise? Donkeys can be very people friendly! I’ve also heard that they’re good guard animals – more that they loudly announce intruders, rather than actually go after them.
This new batch is RIR, Ameraucana, Cuckoo Maran, and Danish Brown Leghorn, so all egg colors are covered but only the Amers repeat each year.
Prior years’ hatches still on the farm producing include also Australorp, Barred Pl Rock, Gold and Black Sex Links, Buff Orp, Delaware, NH Red, OE Game, Cochin, Silkies (who hatch anything), Sebright, Calif. White, Crevcouer, BLR Wyand,….
They are for eggs and are not slaughtered for food unless they do something really, really bad. They all learna simple commands and many learn tricks.
Tricks? Do tell.
And what will you do when the hens get old and are no longer laying?
The first thing all our chickens learn here is “Stay.” It keeps them from dashing out of the henhouse or yard when the door is open. Up and Down are basic commands and are taught just by naming the activity and praising them when they step up or down. Kiss is taught the same way, so before long, the chickens do the activity named, all in anticipation of the praise, which they really adore.
“Up-Up” means, ‘Please stand up so I can take your eggs.’ I’m very proud of the girls when they do that, and they get many “Thank you”s for the eggs. It’s hysterical when they try to say “Thank you” in their squeaky little voices, and they only say that if I forget my line.
Marcy, a Silkie pullet, gives kisses, says a squeaky “I love you,” and puts her head on my shoulder when I say, “Lay kepela.”
Marius, bantam Cochin, goes “Over” on her back in my hands and stay until I ask her to get up. Then I ask for a hug and she opens one wing over my shoulder and stays there.
I’m wide open to ideas of other things to teach!
Hylla, amazing! Send me a video. I thought I was crazy to teach my hens to pose for the camera!
Re: the predator thing……. this guy I know has a couple donkeys, as well as a plethora of poultry that he raises and breeds. He told me a story about a coyote who had been lurking around and it cut through the fence into the donkey corral and the donkey chased it, cornered it and starting kicking it! He said the coyote didn’t come back…..
Maybe it was protecting itself, but he says he doesn’t have anymore trouble with foxes and coyotes…..
Donkeys do not tolerate things they don’t like!
They are soooo adorable! I wish I had a large country home and could get anything I wanted. I’d surely have a few of those cuties.
Donkey’s (especially the jennys) will stomp any member of the canine family to death. My mother-in-law use to raise horses and donkeys and she has told many a story of a jenny going after coyotes and in a couple of cases putting an end to a coyotes future.
They are cute a buttons!!
Ken, that’s so interesting. I’d heard rumors, but good to hear it from someone who knows. What a combination – totally adorable AND lethal to predators.
They are just so cute! If one looked at me with those eyes, he just might get a home here in Southern California! I can just hear the conversation with my husband now!
I have two mini donkeys and WE LOVE THEM. They are the sweetest animals, low maintenance, playful (ours are young), and we are thankful every day that we brought them to our little ranch. But they need a best friend, so it’s best to have them in pairs.