So... this makes me feel truly stupid.
Last summer, we fenced off about 1/2 acre of pasture here and were given a pregnant jenny by my grandfather -- more accurately, she's on permanent loan. The idea was more that they be pasture-mowers than anything. Last August, she gave birth to a little jack.
Fast forward to this spring. We really just need one donkey in the pasture for our purposes, so my grandfather told us to pick which one we wanted long-term and he would deal with the other one (probably sell it). Sure thing. We have been establishing a good rabbit raising routine, not to mention the time needed for our dogs, cats, etc. So the donkeys were the last thing on my mind when my grandfather had his major heart attack.
That was 4 months ago. All projects went on "hold." Although DH and I now have our lives back, my grandfather doesn't. He very rarely even steps outdoors now. He has mentioned that I need to choose whichever donkey I want and he will "deal with the other one... eventually."
I didn't mean to write a novel, but there it is. Today, it has become very obvious that the jenny is in full heat... all of the vulval "winking", everything. And the now-1-yr-old son is definitely paying attention. I have no way of separating them until at least tomorrow. He bites her, sniffs her, mounts her now and then (although he doesn't seem to be capable of his ultimate goal, since he's still a bit short and totally inexperienced, but who knows?).
Is it possible that he can impregnate her now? I know sex-play doesn't necessarily mean full sexual maturity, but he seems rather single-minded about it. I do not need an inbred donkey foal this time next year! I hope I can get some cooperation from my grandfather in the morning, but I'm afraid he's not going to be too concerned, coming from the old dirt-poor-rural-south line of thinking, which would say "O, well. It probably won't turn out too bad and we can sell it, too. I'll deal with it tomorrow if I feel like it. Otherwise, no big deal." To be clear, this is NOT my attitude toward the situation, but I can't resolve this without his help (thus why it hasn't been resolved already). How worried should I be? I don't know what to do.
Last summer, we fenced off about 1/2 acre of pasture here and were given a pregnant jenny by my grandfather -- more accurately, she's on permanent loan. The idea was more that they be pasture-mowers than anything. Last August, she gave birth to a little jack.
Fast forward to this spring. We really just need one donkey in the pasture for our purposes, so my grandfather told us to pick which one we wanted long-term and he would deal with the other one (probably sell it). Sure thing. We have been establishing a good rabbit raising routine, not to mention the time needed for our dogs, cats, etc. So the donkeys were the last thing on my mind when my grandfather had his major heart attack.
That was 4 months ago. All projects went on "hold." Although DH and I now have our lives back, my grandfather doesn't. He very rarely even steps outdoors now. He has mentioned that I need to choose whichever donkey I want and he will "deal with the other one... eventually."
I didn't mean to write a novel, but there it is. Today, it has become very obvious that the jenny is in full heat... all of the vulval "winking", everything. And the now-1-yr-old son is definitely paying attention. I have no way of separating them until at least tomorrow. He bites her, sniffs her, mounts her now and then (although he doesn't seem to be capable of his ultimate goal, since he's still a bit short and totally inexperienced, but who knows?).
Is it possible that he can impregnate her now? I know sex-play doesn't necessarily mean full sexual maturity, but he seems rather single-minded about it. I do not need an inbred donkey foal this time next year! I hope I can get some cooperation from my grandfather in the morning, but I'm afraid he's not going to be too concerned, coming from the old dirt-poor-rural-south line of thinking, which would say "O, well. It probably won't turn out too bad and we can sell it, too. I'll deal with it tomorrow if I feel like it. Otherwise, no big deal." To be clear, this is NOT my attitude toward the situation, but I can't resolve this without his help (thus why it hasn't been resolved already). How worried should I be? I don't know what to do.
), but I was around horses for years and its my understanding that they (just as many animals) can in fact become pregnant very young, and impregnate others evern sooner. So, you absolutely need to do seperate them somehow, or have him castrated. Even if it means just tying him up to a tree or sticking him in a stall I'd do that. ASAP.
