Big E Livestock and Donkeys

Non Refundable Good Faith Deposit required to consider the animal sold

Available Standard Donkeys Jennys, Geldings (neutered male) , Jacks (intact males can breed)

Donkeys do not get fed like a horse...Donkeys require low protein roughage diets. Basic grass hay not alfalfa. Mineral salt and wormed spring fall. Trim hooves every few months don't need farrier as often as a horse as a rule. Float teeth as needed. Rarely have teeth issues like a horse. Key is to not over feed them.

White jenny with paint jenny baby BORN DURING HURRICANE HELENA. Only picture I have we are out of power at that farm due to the storm. Shes a beauty! $2500 pair.

3 yr or so gelding $975

Great Large gelding who stays with our goats and sheep. He's friendly but won't like you to touch him. He might be all right when he's the only donkey around. Great guardian type not bonded to other donkeys $1275

Pair of nice jennys best for out with cattle, $975 each

Handsome gelding $975 he's quiet gets along with every critter out here.

Geldings..neutered males we have more, I need pics!

Just got in 16 geldings! Geldings are great because not hormonal. They are great companions, pets, coyote deterrent. They do not have jack behaviors or jenny hormones. $875-$1275. Pictures coming.

Large brown gelding big enough to ride 13+ hands but needs training. He's a great pasture ornament. Hard to load but spent 2 yrs in Air BNB petting zoo stands for farrier. Around 6-8 yr buddies with light grey jenny. He's friendly eats out of my hand. $1275 gelding 2400 pair Good sized donkeys large jenny 6 yr old next to him in pic.

Funny ears, Shaggy brown gelding around 3 yr old $875

Super nice LG standard teenage gelding donkey for pasture guardian. He's a loner He stays with the other livestock He doesn't stay with other donkeys. Not wild but not in your face friendly $1275

Some more donkey info....

In USA Donkeys are categorized by size

Donkeys are described by size not actual breeds much...micro mini under 30 inch...mini under 36-38 inch in some registries allow to 38 inch...standards are 37 inch up to 54 inch. Mammoths for Jennys 54 inch and over height and 56 inch and over for Jacks. Size matters ,...the smaller or larger the price goes up!

Pasture guardians...

See other sections on my site with articles about Donkey guardians world wide. I need to stop calling donkeys livestock guardians really when they literally are guarding their territory not livestock that they just happen to accept in their territory. Your other livestock benefit by the donkeys dislike of k nines...and intruders into their pastures. Donkeys make great pets and provide a natural coyote deterrent...win win!

Uses for donkeys....

Besides natural territory protection donkeys are used to plow gardens, pull carts, are ridden used as pack animals on trails, horse companions, are great pets and are great weed eaters. Donkeys are used to teach show calves to lead. Donkeys are better than goats as weed eaters they will even eat dog fennel and cockle burr bushes..they don't bother fences as a rule and never head butt you or jump on your car like goats! And they don't smell or go in rut...and they live to be 40+ yrs. I've seen them 45 years old happy healthy. Please remember put them in your will they may outlive you if fed proper!

Donkeys tend to be neat poopers, yes poopers!

Donkeys will often poop in one area and on top of each other's poop. If my dogs drag up a deer carcass part the donkeys will poop on it! You can observe males go poop on area Jenny just pooped or urinated at. Marking his territory. Lots of people find they are neater than horses as they often poop in one area of their stall. I've never had a donkey poop in their water bucket when stalled! They are intelligent creatures!

Donkeys are very respectful of people

Anything with teeth can bite and hooves can kick but donkeys are notorious for being safe to be around. I've never really been hurt by a donkey. I've been Kicked rarely when moving thru them in trailers but minor bruise is all I've had happen to me even handling thousands of donkeys. Most show great respect to humans and go out of their way not to harm you unlike a horse or pony

Donkey hooves...are not horses hooves

See section of neglected donkeys hooves somewhere here. I have pictures of all types hooves .

Donkeys have cylindrically shaped hooves unlike a horse. More steep shape than a horse often club footed straight down cylinder shaped. Not sloped at heel like horses.

Donkeys hooves will naturally wear down if they have enough land to roam and will require less trimming than a horse. Horse people tend to over trim on a schedule which farriers love...it's easy money skimming a tiny bit off your animals hoof every 5-8 weeks at $40 a pop. Donkeys do not need trimmed that frequently every 3 or 4 months as a rule not every few weeks.

Donkeys are susceptible to founder and white line disease which can cripple them but often times proper trimming they get around fine. You are not riding the donkeys they do not need perfect hooves like a horse.

Often donkeys are born with 3 good hooves one will be mishaped. Sometimes one will be crooked from birth and that one will need more frequent trimming because it does not wear properly. Some have 4 hooves each a different shape! You do not have to worry just keep them a decent length so they do not start to curve under or curl up.

Properly growing hooves will naturally chip off like God intended. But some hoof walls curve under and do not chip and that leads to slipper feet/hooves or boat feet people call them. If you notice the walls of the hoof not chipping but going underneath the hoof you need to have them trimmed.

I don't worry when hooves chip off that's nature doing what God intended hooves to do. FARRIERS CAME About BECAUSE EQUINES ARE NOT FREE ROAMING...NATURALLY Wearing hooves down! Man's lack of using the donkeys created a need for farriers.

You can lead or ride your horses and donkeys on asphalt roads to rasp them down naturally saving you money on farriers. If you do not have good terrain to naturally wear their hooves lead them on pavement. I rarely trim my personal horses and donkeys hooves because they are free to roam like God intended and they naturally wear down.

You can literally watch You Tube videos and learn to trim them yourselves, if you are strong enough to do it. I'm not but my son is! So he will occasionally help me and trim those who need it. But most donkeys will come to you needing a trim.

Nowadays people use grinders making it easier once your donkeys get used to the tools, making hoof work alot less back breaking. Research on you tube and you can easily tend to their hooves yourself! Donkey hooves don't have to be perfect cuz you're not riding them.

Do not feed donkeys like a horse...

Donkeys were created for dry arid places walking miles to get their food. They eat brush, weeds,tree bark,leaves AND grass. They need low protein diets low sugar diets. Pastures and grass hay are adequate. No alfalfa! Too rich! Alfalfa's like eating peanut butter for a donkey.

If your grass is very rich you need to limit grass consumption if you notice them getting obese . Maybe leave them in area with limited grass part of the day with hay and out on grass half the day. Donkeys don't need to be stalled you find some like it some do not. I prefer give them a stall with door open let them be free to go in if they choose. Many donkeys prefer trees to real shelter when it rains.

I don't have any problem with my donkeys on grass but my pastures are not lush. If you have lush pastures you just need to insure the donkeys aren't getting obese. Fat on necks is generally where it starts. Donkeys can also founder on too rich of a diet. It's not hard to prevent that. If you have smaller fenced area you can keep them in there with grass hay part of the day and turn them out on your pasture overnight etc I bet you see donkeys all over the country out in pastures with the cows and they do just fine. So don't panic and don't overthink it just don't let the donkey get obese.

You don't have to feed them grain/horse feed daily. Just a handful here and there is plenty to keep them coming up to you. It's like eating cookies to donkeys so don't feed them grain/horse feed daily. In winter you can give small amount if weather is cold to help create body heat but literally a measuring cup full is plenty. If grass is good do not ad grain or you are asking for obesity.

Give mineral salt block or loose minerals and white salt. Loose minerals are easy for them to eat but they have to be kept in a barn/out of the rain. Worm occasionally (spring fall) and don't let their feet over grow. Simple animals to keep! Over feeding is the biggest problem with donkeys. People literally baby them to death. Treat them like a diabetic don't give them sweet things on a regular basis. Carrots and apples are fine as a treat but many are not used to it so you have to acclimate them to treats. And the best way to feed treats is in the feed trough or a bucket not out of your hand because then they'll start nipping you. You create pushy nippy donkeys by feeding them out of your hand. Occasionally is fine but every day you will create a monster if you feed them out of your hand. They will become pushy and nippy expecting treats every time they see you. So please limit the treats Don't overdo it lol

You will just love the donkeys but don't love them to death by overfeeding them!