The hay feeding seems to be going well.  We're still making sure it's broken up as loose as possible, so he doesn't get a big mouthful to chew.  I have made an observation.......... they get their mush first & then we bring in the hay.  They will leave the beet pulp, yeast, Lakin Lite, & timothy pellet mush for old dry bermuda hay. Not sure what that means scientifically, but I do find it interesting.  

They are getting out each morning while the others are in their pens eating.  Yesterday we had a tour so the others weren't in any mood to stay in their pens & watch the kid bop around.  So this morning we'll try introducing a couple of the jennies to him along with the minis of course.  I really don't see anyone being a problem except Ruger is young & might play too rough & Rusty is old & chased him once before when Tucker & Mocha got out accidentally.

Boaz's knee is doing well.  He got the bandage off a couple of days ago, & since it looked so nice & dry I left it open for a night.  Even though it looks good, he managed to bloody it up, so I guess we'll keep it bandaged for the foreseeable future.  He goes back to the vet the 29th for a check-up.

Jenny is still on antibiotics for her rear hoof that is still draining.  Yesterday I noticed she had a piece of hoof on a front foot sticking out like it was trying to break off.  got the nippers, picked up the foot & the problem was a rock about the size of a marble stuck in her white line.  Needless to say her white line is a little wider than normal, but not THAT wide.......YIKES.........!!!  It was stuck in there so hard, I couldn't pick it out, had to nip the hoof wall off to give it some room.  Poor girl, she doesn't need anything else to go wrong with her feet, she's on borrowed time as it is, with her feet. 

Finally got around to calling to check up on Thelma.  Laura said she is the best thing they ever did, they are really enjoying her & getting use to her personality.  Laura said Thelma & Bugsy (ie Eeyore) get along just great, whenever they are by themselves.  She said as soon as Thelma sees people she starts picking on Bugsy, biting & kicking at him.  I guess she wants all the attention herself......!!!

BRRRRRRRRRR........!!!!!

OK, I'm ready for spring already...!!!!!  Can't imagine what it's like doing chores in some parts of the country.  Kathy Dean from Longhopes Donkey Shelter in Colorado really is fighting weather right now.  She said Alan her husband used a snow blower to make paths to the different barns & the poo pile.  When the weather is really bad, she tells her volunteers to stay home, until the roads are cleared & all that.  So a lot of times it's just her & Alan taking care of 40-50 donkeys in barns.  I guess she could move to a nicer climate, but as she says there is a need where she is.  She must be doing something right, she recently passed the 500th mark for adoptions. 

At least we don't have to contend with snow, ice, sleet & all that.  But 18 degrees in the morning does make me whine.  (G)

Heard from Thelma's new mom.  She said they are doing just fine, once Bugsy got over pouting about having to share his mom.  They've moved on to following each other around, & Laura is spending a lot of time with Thelma.  That's easy to do because Thelma is a real "love sponge".   Don't know if she's brayed yet or not.  If not wait till they hear that.  Let's just say her bray is NOT very ladylike, more like a foghorn on steroids.........!!!! 

THANKS LAURA

It seems every time we manage to get our numbers down, it all changes quickly.  There are a possible 6 additions in the pipeline over the next couple of weeks....!!! YIKES.....!!!  If all 6 do come in, some of the gang are going to get thrown out of their pens.  Probably BlackJack, Maddie & Frijolita, since they are all food hounds & get no special feed.  John started trying to figure out how to build more pens.  I told him no more pens, since the amount of donkeys we have, seems to grow to fill empty pens...........!!!! 

 

THELMA WENT TO HER NEW HOME TODAY......!

This morning when we got ready to put Thelma in the trailer, she really loaded pretty good, considering last week took about an hour.  We put 2 leads on her, she got to the trailer, looked it over & hopped in.  She really is a special girl, she is more than willing to meet you half way, even if you are doing something she has never tried before.  Just takes patience. 

This is Bugsy aka Eeyore, heading out towards the trailer, where Thelma was waiting for him.  He has lived by himself in Tombstone, for quite awhile, so his life style is really going to change.  

 

 We got to their new "digs", they both hopped out of the trailer & the posturing started. 

 Well, maybe not love at first sight........!!!

She double dog dared Bugsy to try to get any closer than this.  He pretty much didn't care, except when she was somewhere in the pen he hadn't had a chance to see.

 Mike got excited about the kicking & ear pinning going on, but I told him that was pretty much par for the course when introducing donkeys to each other.  It should go pretty good, because they were trailered together & then put in a pen neither had ever been in before, so it's a complete lifestyle change for both of them.  They'll have to rely on each other. 

 

 I THINK BUGSY IS READY TO GO HOME NOW.......!!! 

It's finally trying to warm up, at least during the day.  Poor old Pepper, even with his knee cover on, he still can't move very easily.

UPDATE:  I went ahead & put Whinny Warmers on Pepper's right front.  They aren't much fun to put on, because Pepper has such a hard time standing on 3 legs, & it takes quite awhile to thread the warmers on because of their length.  I finally had to call John to help, one to thread & one to help hold him up.  We'll see if he is walking any better in the morning.