First day on the job guarding the sheep
Now the fiber shows and weekend spinning demonstrations are over, it’s time to ready the animals and the farm for the long winter. The main challenge I have is to change the horses diet to include additional beet pulp and hay pellets. My two older horses need more calories to keep them warm and my fat donk, Max does not. Max has also learn to eat with the grazing muzzle which he wears 24/7. This approach is not reduced his weight so I have decided to put him in with the sheep in hopes he will slim down.
Max held this position once before when he was only 4 months. Max had stayed with two of my Jacob ewes in hopes he would bond with the sheep. We thought he would make a good guard donkey but our hopes were dashed when he chased his girls all day long while I was at work and they aborted their lambs. We also tried putting him in with the ram lambs but he would grab their legs as donkeys’ play. They lost the skin but thankfully nothing was broken. He was fine with the older rams. For the past 6 years he has lived with his equine buddies, Ginger and Arbee. Just in case, Max is still wearing his muzzle for both reducing his caloric intake and to prevent him from biting the sheep’s legs, if he can catch them. The sheep are keeping their distance for now. Let’s hope Max has matured since he was a young donk.
Peace at last, Ginger and Arbee enjoying their hay.