Foaling in Miniature Donkeys

Donkey gestation is 365 days, with a normal range between 11 to 13 months.  Begin preparing several weeks before your jennet's earliest possible due date.

Preparing for Foaling

Set up a clean, quiet foaling area away from herd disruption, ideally a stall or paddock she's already familiar with and within view of her best friend donkey.  It should be bedded with pine shavings (not sawdust) with straw over top the shavings.  Have your veterinarian's contact information on hand, along with basic supplies: clean towels, a chlorhexidine or dilute iodine solution for the navel, and a foaling kit ready. It's also worth notifying your vet ahead of time so they can be on stand-by if there are complications.  

A barn camera and halter based foaling alert system are well worth the investment so that you do not miss it.  Jennets are very sneaky and fast to foal.  It is easy to miss without these in place.  

Signs Your Jennet Is Ready to Foal

As foaling approaches, jennets typically become more solitary and withdrawn from the herd. Personality changes may occur with some becoming extra affectionate, and others may become moody or cranky.  The udder typically enlarges gradually over the final 6-8 weeks, with the teats and udder swelling noticeably in the days before birth. Donkeys rarely develop waxing, like a horse. The milk will typically turn white in the last 24 hours before foaling, and is a good way to test for closeness.  In the last 24-48 hours, watch for slackening of the muscles around the tailhead and loss of tone of the vulva.  The inner color of the vulva will turn from the usual light pink to a magenta red in the last 24 hours, and this is another very good way to determine closeness.  Some signs of early labor include restlessness, loss of appetite, and frequent rolling as she grows uncomfortable, but many jennets do not display any obvious signs until contractions start due to their stoic nature.  

The Foaling Process

Donkey labor moves quickly. From the first visible signs of early contractions to delivery, foaling typically takes around 40 minutes. Once the water breaks you should see a white sac (the amniotic sac) within a couple of minutes.  A normal foal presents in a 'diving' position, head tucked between the forelegs, one foot slightly ahead of the other to keep the shoulders tilted to pass through the hips. The hooves will look odd with the soft newborn 'slippers' attached.  Resist the urge to intervene unless something looks clearly wrong; a normal birth should progress steadily once active labor starts. If your jennet is straining hard with no visible progress, or if you see anything other than the normal head-and-forelegs presentation, call your vet immediately.  Jennets who have foaled previously should have passed the foal within 30 minutes.  Jennets who are having their first foal should have passed the foal within 45 minutes.  If they go past those timepoints they need intervention.  Make sure the amniotic sac is removed from the foal's face so it can breathe.  Do not disturb the jennet or foal after foaling.  It is important for the foal to remain attached to the umbilical cord for at least 5 minutes to continue to get oxygen while it transitions to air breathing.  The umbilical cord should break naturally when the foal moves or the jennet stands.  

Newborn Foal Care

A newborn foal should be standing within 1 hour of birth and nursing within 2 hours.  Most do it well before those timepoints.  Intervention is mandatory if they don't meet these benchmarks.  Despite their thick, fluffy coats, donkey foals are deceptively fragile and need warmth and shelter.  Dip the umbilical stump in a dilute chlorhexidine (0.5%: mix 1 part chlorhexidine solution to 3 parts water) or iodine solution shortly after birth and again over the next 24 hours, since the navel is a direct route for infection. Colostrum intake within the first 6 hours of life is critical; foals that don't nurse adequately are at risk of failure of passive transfer, which leaves them without protective antibodies and is one of the most common, and most preventable, serious problems in newborn foals. Your vet can run an IgG test to check they got enough.  Most foals pass their first stool, called meconium, within a few hours of birth; straining without producing stool can signal a meconium impaction, which resolves with a gentle vet-administered enema.  

Caring for the Jennet After Birth

After delivery, keep mother and foal in a quiet, low-stress space to encourage bonding. Monitor the jennet to confirm she passes the placenta within 3 hours; a retained placenta is a veterinary emergency. Do not ever pull on it.  Keep an eye on her appetite as well. Donkeys that go off feed, even briefly, can develop a dangerous metabolic condition called hyperlipidemia within just a day, so any significant drop in appetite after foaling warrants prompt attention. Fresh water, good-quality forage, and a calm environment all support recovery and milk production in the days following birth.

Foaling Emergencies Every Owner Should Recognize

Call your vet immediately if you notice any of the following: hard straining with no progress during labor, an abnormal presentation (anything other than head and forelegs first), a retained placenta, a foal that won't nurse or stand within a few hours of birth, straining without producing meconium, or a foal that becomes lethargic, runs a fever, or feels abnormally cold to the touch. Donkeys are stoic by nature and tend to mask distress, in both mother and foal, so any deviation from normal behavior deserves a closer look rather than a wait-and-see approach.