[cambee]

Hi. To add to our ever growing smallholding we are thinking of a couple of rescue donkeys. We have some horses but our plan would be to put the donkeys in with our small flock of Ryelands-either the ewes or possibly in the field with our tup and his wether companion. Does anybody know of any potential problems with this? We have enough paddocks to separate lambs etc when the need arises. Thank you

[harmony]

People keep different livestock together all the time without problem however you can get the odd donkey or horse that will attack your sheep.


The main problem is usually trying to feed without the wrong animal getting the food.

[laurelrus]

We have (pet) sheep and donkeys and they're perfectly happy together in the field, but when the sheep wandered into the donkeys paddock things took a nasty turn - the donkeys are clearly territorial about their paddock and it was lucky that the sheep weren't injured before we got them out, one of them narrowly avoided being kicked. I've never seen the donkeys so cross!

So that means we can't leave the gate open between the donkeys paddock and the field, which makes things complicated. If we want to let the donkeys wander between the field and their paddock/stable we have to make sure the sheep are in a different area.

The donkey sanctuary welfare officer told me that this is a very common situation.

[landroverroy]

We graze our donkeys and sheep together quite happily. I have had the odd young colt or gelding decide to chase the sheep but it's only in play and when they were first put in together and they've soon ignored each other. It's possible we've never had any real problems because I always add donkeys to the sheep pasture and not the other way round. As sheep need better grazing than donkeys it's always seemed logical to let the sheep eat off the best grass first.
If I'm feeding the sheep extra, eg in winter, then I feed them inside and put a rope across the doorway so the sheep can get in and out at will, but the donkeys can't. At lambing time the female donkeys get quite maternal and protective towards the lambs and actually won't let my dog near to round them up.


In some places donkeys are used to protect sheep and mine certainly wouldn't let any strange dog near them.

[Buttermilk]

My donkey chases sheep so they need an electric fence to get under and away from him.  A friends sheep were losing ears and it was not until she saw one of her donkeys grab a sheep and swing it round by its ear did she realise why.  Introduce carefully and have escape routes.

[landroverroy]

Obviously you get good and bad and different temperaments in all animals, and I would agree about careful introduction.
But I think the point made by Laurelus about donkeys being territorial is highly relevant. So Buttercup, just as a matter of interest, who had first claim of the field - the donkey or the sheep?
Also, I believe your donkey is an entire male? As I mentioned, the only attempt at chasing sheep by my donkeys has been with young males. So maybe this is a factor also.   

[Oopsiboughtasheep]

I graze my 6 (pet) sheep in with my 4 (gelded) donkeys with no trouble at all. I move the sheep in and out of the horses paddock as well (also geldings). I have never had any problems and they all get on very well, but I know that some people who have tried this have had bad experiences. Our donkeys are not so tolerant of the dogs tho' and can get a bit territorial with them. I think mixing animals of any sort is always best assessed on an individual basis as its not just 'nature' that throws potential issues up for consideration (hormones/age etc.) but individual animal personality traits are an important factor. Just my thoughts.

[Buttermilk]

LRR yes Donkey is entire.  The rams used to love the chase game when they were cool but come summer and thick fleece jackets it stressed them out too much.  The girls never liked being chased.  The 2 yr old warmblood filly was a bad one for chasing the sheep and she would let out fly bucks at them.  Donkey was an all out stomper if he got close.  As the sheep were too easily broken I stopped shared grazing.

As to who was there first the horses were but I cannot remember if Donkey or the sheep were introduced next.

[m3joeEm]

In America donkeys are used on some farms as guard animals to protect sheep from wild dogs like coyotes, so maybe they could protect them from foxes or domestic dogs, not sure!

 Not sure of any negatives, maybe they will chomp on your fence posts though!

[LeanneR88]

I don't have donkeys but have 2 horses and a Shetland Pony, the Shetland has taken to the sheep and follows them around the field and when raining etc chases them up to the trees for shelter...becoming quite the little guard pony