My donkey experience is limited to Faith and Brighty and witnessing the Jack at the auction get loaded into a truck bed, lol. So I'm hoping ya'll can advise on this.

My neighbor has a large herd of goats that run on about 40 acres of pastures. Lately he has lost 4 goats in the past month to dogs or coyotes. He'd like to get a donkey to put out there with them and wants me to find him one. I know donkeys are great guards - heck little Brighty will go after anything and be out for blood! The barn cats are terrified of her, lol.

But I'm wondering if one gender tends to guard better than another. I thought Jennys weren't typically good for this type of thing? But what about a gelded Jack? I'm hesitant to find them a jack since we share several fence lines and I have several floozy mares.

Ideally, a jenny would be nice since gelded jacks are hard to find around here. But she needs to be useful for this family. Can any donkey smart people give me some input?

I'm not sure that it matters what sex they are. We had a gelded Jack, but I don't think I've heard anyone say that one is better at guarding than the other. Sorry, that wasn't too helpful was it?

Okay, I'm glad you asked this. You reallllly want to do some research on this. Miniature donkeys, males are very playful. Males especially like to run around and they tend to grab each other's necks. People have reported goats with broken necks and pigs that have tied from heart attacks from being chased by donkeys.

They are great guard animals, but unless they've grown up with the other animals or are not playful beware.

Good point! I forgot that with our Jack he would really get into chasing the ropings steers/show calves/whatever would run from him. He never bothered any of the mares though.

Just miniatures, or standards as well? They don't want a mini.

Thanks!

I THINK that's just for minis but I can't garuntee it.

we have a jack and he is great he never tryed to mess with the mares or chase the other animals he is kind of to him self but he doesn't let any stray dog coyote or bob cat nere our animals. I don't know if it matter what sex they are. that is a good question.

Our farrier breeds and raises sheep. He has one flock guarded by a Great Pyranese (sp?) while another flock is guarded by a female donkey. He says since the donkey was introduced to the sheep, that he no longer looses any to coyotes. There was one time that we were in the pasture looking for a horse and the sheep all came running up to us, followed by the donkey braying at the top of her lungs! Scared the living daylights out of us! She basically parked herself between the sheep and us. They were still a fair distance away so I'm not sure if she would have come after us had we tried to get closer to the sheep (but after that noise, we were in no hurry to get any closer to her!)

I don't know if she was raised with them, if she was a regular sized donkey (she looked pretty big) or if she was a special breed of donkey. She's dark brown (if that helps).

I know a guy that raises goats and he bought a older standard jenny. When he put her in the pasture she killed several goats and when they moved her to another bordering pasture she tried to go through the fence. There vet said that unless they are raised together or introduce very gently he has seen that alot. The donkey gets scared of the goats and kills them

Can't speak to Donkey's, but I know a person that has a pasture with peacocks, goats, mini's, and other critters. There are two Llamas in the pasture with them. I don't think a dog or a coyoye has gotten within 400 yards of those critters.
Llama's and Alpacas are very territorial, very fast, have incredible eyesight, and can kick a coyote to death. Maybe an alternative to a donkey.