MINIATURE DONKEYS

When asked about the purpose of donkeys on our farm, I always say it's love. If you haven't met a miniature donkey, you're missing out! In most pictures, the donkeys are on the other side of the fence because they stay too close for good shots. They love being at your feet for hugs. Besides that, they are great pack animals and can carry a 100-lb pack.

Miniature donkeys are known to be friendly towards people. From the moment a foal is born, they tend to approach humans for interaction. If human contact starts at birth, there is no need for a gentling period as seen with other livestock. They automatically want to say hi to you and get hugs and kisses each time they see you. They truly are nature’s antidepressant and will brighten any cloudy day!

These little guys are highly sought-after. From the first time I ever met a miniature donkey I knew I needed one. We searched high and low and finally fulfilled my dream of having a sweet mini donkey. We started our herd with Gus as a baby in 2018.

As most things go on our farm, “one thing led to another” (usually the best laid plans never began as plans, right?!) and we began collecting our herd. Needless to say, it has been a very unexpected SLOW and LONG process. We have grown the majority as babies, so we have been waiting for them to mature.

We are slowly but surely entering the next phase of our donkey breeding program. We have now had 4 foals born. We are on our way…even though it has been painfully slow!

Our Jennies (females) include:

We have now grown our herd to have two Jacks (males):

Woodrow & Gus

Lori, Clara, Elmira, Sally, Pearl, Janey, Faris, Liza Jane

Clara is a full size donkey that we adopted through the BLM Burro Program. She was a wild donkey in the Nevada desert before she came to live on our farm. As of now, we don’t breed her, but that could change in the future as well.

All our donkeys are named after (or inspired by) characters from Lonesome Dove.

FAQ's

The short answer is: We don’t know.

The long answer: We know many of you are anxious to own a mini donkey and we are as just as impatient as you in this journey. Our approach to donkey breeding at this moment is to let nature take its course. We don’t have a “breeding season.” Our jennies stay with the jack year-round. We don’t preg check them at this time either for a few reasons. Unlike other livestock who are predictable, a donkey’s gestation period is a wide range: 10-14 months. So even knowing when they were bred is still no guarantee as to when to expect a foal. For the time being, we are just keeping an eye on them and watch for signs of late pregnancy. Donkeys are funny animals when it comes to pregnancy. When you think they are showing all the signs of almost ready to foal, wait another 2-3 months and they might finally have their baby.

When will you have

more babies available?

While donkeys LOVE human attention and love, they are also herd animals. Ideally two donkeys together is the best case scenario. However, they do make good companion animals for barrel horses and other hooved animals. They are FARM animals, not backyard animals like a dog. They do need other farm animals, in addition to their humans. Be aware that not all donkeys

like small animals. We have two donkeys that will stomp a small dog or

goat into the ground given the chance. However, we also have

donkeys who are not concerned with small animals. But definitely be aware of this before letting dogs or other small animals around them.

What should I expect before owning a mini donkey?

We’ve been in your shoes! Dreaming of having a mini donkey that normal people like us could afford. They can get spendy and are in high demand. Our goal in raising them is to price them so that normal people like us can add them to their small farms and homesteads. Throughout the years I have answered this question to people who have asked. However in the past 5 years, a lot has changed in agriculture and livestock (as well as every other aspect of the world really). Price depends on many factors: sex, color, size, temperament, etc. Join our “Interest List” at the bottom of the page to stay updated on our current pricing, as it is likely to change from year to year.

How much can I expect to pay?

If you follow us on social media (Facebook and Instagram @evansacresminifarm), you will see babies being posted as they are born. That does not mean they are available…YET. Once they are born we will watch them and make sure they are healthy before offering them to a new home. Once that decision is made, THIS LIST will be the first to be notified. So you’re already a step ahead. Our practice is to not take deposits on babies before birth (for any species of animal). We also don’t have a prioritized waiting list. Contacting us directly will NOT move anyone to the top of list.

That being said, we are constantly reevaluating this and deciding the best way to go about it, so it could change. We have considered moving the donkeys to a prioritized wait list with a deposit to secure your spot. We have also discussed the logistics of an auction-type sale. We haven’t made any firm decisions, but joining the “Interest List” at the bottom of the page will definitely keep you updated if anything changes and you will be notified via email.

What is the process of being notified and purchasing a donkey?

The next step once a baby is available, a livestock contract must be signed and within 24 hours a 50% deposit must be made. The remaining 50% needs to be paid upon pick up. We wean between 4-6 months depending on how the baby is growing and how well they are eating other food. The baby will have been handled during their time with us and started with a halter. You’ll find donkeys don’t take much training to break them. They naturally want to be with you and follow you around. They are docile and loving animals to begin with.

We appreciate your interest and support of our farm. We plan to continue to do this for the foreseeable future. Obviously we would love to have enough babies to make everybody’s dream come true immediately, unfortunately that’s not the reality. So if it doesn’t happen this year, we will continue to have more and more each year available. We are in the homestretch of this and we can’t wait!

Miniature Donkey Foals

I'm Interested

We do not have any mini donkey foals available at this time. We do not take deposits on babies until after they are born. If you would like to be notified as babies become available, fill out the form below. It will place you on a list of people to be contacted. This is NOT a wait list. Once babies are born and deemed to be healthy, it will be first come first serve. A 50% deposit will be placed to hold the donkey with the other 50% due upon weaning - typically 4-6 months of age.

PAST FOALS

After 6 years of impatient waiting, our donkey breeding program is finally ALMOST where we hope for it to be. We currently have 7 jennies at or approaching maturity. So check back often or join our Livestock Interest List to be notified when future foals are available.

Nelly - DOB 01/02/2025

Dad

Mom

STATUS: SOLD

GENDER: Female/Jenny

DATE OF BIRTH: 01/02/2025

AVAILABLE DATE: 05/15/2025

Since the day she was born, Nelly has been the most delightful little girl. She is bursting with energy and adores affection, love, and being around people. She will trail behind you like a dog. Her parents are both exceptionally gentle and sweet. You can arrange FaceTime/Skype or in-person visits to meet her yourself. However, be warned...you will definitely fall for her. She truly embodies perfection!

For more info e-mail cami.evansacres@gmail.com

Click for Video of Nelly

Please remember - donkeys are a herd animal and do best with another donkey, but at the very minimum need other hooved farm animals to live with. For the well-being of our animals, we reserve the right to refuse a contract be sent if we don't feel comfortable with placing our animals with you.