Kids Pages
• The gestation period of a donkey is between 10.5 and 14 months. Our longest has been in a Mini who carried her foal for 12 months, 3 weeks and 3 days. The extreme ranges are more unusual though and we think most foal between 11.5 and 12 months.
• Our donkeys don't have their first foal until they are 4 years of age. They have to grow up both mentally and physically to be ready to be a parent.
• The smallest donkeys recorded are Miniature Mediterranean donkeys, just like ours, and our smallest is Sparky at 28" The tallest recorded donkeys are Baudet du Poitous, just like ours. Our tallest is Romaine, a 3 year old gelding, who is 15.2hh at and still growing.
• The term "donkeys' years", meaning a very long time, is said to derive from the term "donkeys' ears". Our Poitous have the longest ears and can be up to 16" long. Donkeys do live a very long time, the Minis up to 35-40 years or beyond, and the Poitous up to 25 years.
• The cross on a donkey's back is said to come from when the donkey carried Jesus on Palm Sunday. The donkey was touched by the hand of God so that his role would never be forgotten. All donkeys have the cross except for Poitous, but when these are mated to a horse mare, to produce a mule, the mule bears the sign of the cross.
• Donkeys first came to England when the Romans invaded. They were used for farm work because of the scarcity of horses.
• There is a saying "as stubborn as a mule / ass / donkey". We believe that donkeys are more intelligent than horses, so you have to show them more respect, and work with them, not just say "we are doing this now and we are doing it my way". They teach you patience, and are very willing, if you allow them time to assess a situation. Never ever start pushing a Poitou from behind, it will probably end up with you further away from the desired target than when you started!
• Donkeys are more affectionate and loyal to people than horses, and also to each other. They should never be kept alone, and love the company of other donkeys. We manage ours in such a way that they always have the company of a friend, even if it means that 2 have to go to the vets together!
• Cleopatra bathed in asses milk. The word ass is an old name for the donkey. Even today you can wash with donkey milk soap. My staff were given it for Christmas 2007, but I’m not sure how many actually used it!
• Donkey foals do not bray at birth, they have to learn. Initially they squeak, but by 6 months most have developed the ability. People always ask me about the noise, but I find it is the jacks who make the most noise, or the whole herd when they know it is feeding time. Sometimes all the jennies will bray together when a foal is born. I like to think they are welcoming the new foal.
• The Poitou jenny is the only animal I have ever encountered who will suckle another jennie’s foal routinely. It certainly surprised us the first time we saw it.
What do you call a donkey with one leg?
A wonkey donkey
What do you call a donkey with one leg and one eye?
A winkey wonkey donkey
What do you call a donkey with one leg and one eye breaking wind?
A stinkey winkey wonkey donkey
What do you call a donkey with one leg and one eye breaking wind wearing blue suede shoes?
A honkey tonkey stinkey winkey wonkey donkey!
What do you call a donkey with one leg and one eye breaking wind wearing blue suede shoes and playing the piano?
A plinkey plonkey honkey tonkey stinkey winkey wonkey donkey!!
What do you call a tiny donkey with one leg and one eye breaking wind wearing blue suede shoes and playing the piano?
A dinkey plinkey plonkey honkey tonkey stinkey winkey wonkey donkey!!
The Preacher's Donkey
A man bought a donkey from a preacher. The preacher told the man that this donkey had been trained in a very unique way, (being the donkey of a preacher). The only way to make the donkey go, was to say, "Hallelujah!" The only way to make the donkey stop, was to say, "Amen!"
The man was pleased with his purchase and immediately got on the animal to try out the preacher's instructions. "Hallelujah!" shouted the man. The donkey began to trot. "Amen!" shouted the man. The donkey stopped immediately. "This is great!" said the man. With a "Hallelujah," he rode off very proud of his new purchase.
The man traveled for a long time through some mountains. Soon he was heading toward a cliff. He could not remember the word to make the donkey stop. "Stop," said the man. "Halt!" he cried. The donkey just kept going. "Oh, no... Bible!....Church!...Please Stop!!" shouted the man. The donkey just began to trot faster. He was getting closer and closer to the cliff edge. Finally, in desperation, the man said a prayer. "Please, dear Lord. Please make this donkey stop before I go off the end of this mountain, In Jesus name, AMEN."
The donkey came to an abrupt stop just one step from the edge of the cliff.
"HALLELUJAH!", shouted the man.
An old man, a boy and a donkey were going to town. The boy rode on the donkey and the old man walked. As they went along they passed some people remarked it was a shame the old man was walking and the boy was riding.
The man and boy thought maybe the critics were right so they changed positions. Then, later, they passed some people who remarked, What a shame, he makes that little boy walk.
So they then decided they'd both walk! Soon they passed some more people who thought they were stupid to walk when they had a decent donkey to ride. So, they both rode the donkey.
Now they passed some people who shamed them by saying how awful to put such a load on a poor donkey.
The boy and man figured they were probably right, so they decide to carry the donkey. As they crossed the bridge, they lost their grip on the animal and he fell into the river and drowned.
The moral of the story? If you try to please everyone, You might as well...Kiss your ass goodbye!
Have A Nice Day And Be Careful With Your Donkey
What do you call a donkey that's cold?
A brrr-o
One St. Patrick's Day an old peat farmer rode into his local village on his prize donkey to celebrate the day. He tied his donkey up and went into his favorite pub where he spent several hours with several pints and songs and not a few stories. On leaving the pub he was shocked to find that someone had painted his prize donkey green. He touched her just to be sure and there was no doubt. Well, he went back into the pub and began to curse and to try to find out who had painted his prize donkey green.
Then one of the boys and the end of the bar stood up, a very large fellow indeed. "I did it!" says he. "Have you got something to say to me?"
Without the slightest pause the old man said, "Yes! The first coat is dry."