buying and feeding a donkey, Yambol /Elhovo

[tinkerbb2]

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My very elderly neighbour is getting rid of his very elderly donkey, I have been helping them look after her for a while and was shocked to find a dealer at their house tonight. He didn't want her as she was too old, scarred and very sway backed, she is over 25 yrs old,
If I can find a source of food for her over the winter, I will take her,
I have grown fond and can't bear to see her very miserable existence get worse
What would be a fair price and does anybody know where I can find hay/lucerne/straw locally
Please help

[mickw]

Sell Overseas Property

A working Donkey can be had for around 200 Levas, although this one is over 25 years old it could reach 40. A long time to commit, to feeding housing etc; Last cuts of Lucerna and Hay are in now so prices have already risen. But should still be available, Straw is plentiful at the moment. Ask your Kmet he/she will know a local supplier.

Mick

[tinkerbb2]

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Thanks for that Mickw I have had donkeys in the u.k where there was a plentiful supply, the village I live in everybody seems to grow their own and there is no surplus as I have already enquired. If you know of a supplier
around this area we have a van and can collect any idea of the price of a bale of hay/lucerne ?
Also who usually rasps their teeth, is it the vet?
I will go tomorrow and try and negotiate something, had horses and donkeys for over 30 years and was really hoping to give them up but sometimes they find you. ah wel

[mickw]

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As I said feed is in now, I have had mine stored since May, Hay 2 levs Lucerna around 3 Levas.I will make some enquires, how much do you need?. The local vet, is the one to see about the teeth.

Mick

[tinkerbb2]

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Thanks mick,
At what time does the grass lose its goodness here ?
I could store about 50 bales at time but if we had to pick them up

could get 15-20 in the van,

Do all vets rasp teeth or do you use a particular one
would they als trim feet.
many thanks,

[elaine48]

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Oh dear, had to smile at this one - who rasps the teeth!!! Most if not all the locals would be totally mystified if you asked this one. I too adopted (unwillingly, but as you say 'they find you') a pitifully abused old donkey and he lived a very happy last year with us. There is only one (apparently) horse expert vet who has proper equipment and training for teeth rasping. His name is Doichin and comes from Stara Zagora University - pm me for his details if you wish. We pay 5 leva per bale for Lucerne, 60 stotinki to 1 leva for straw and between 2.50 and 4.50 for hay here in the Nova Zagora region. I found a mix of straw and a little lucerne was best. Foot trimming was carried out by the local KOVACH (farrier) without problems. I paid 150 leva for the donkey, which was about double his value, because the old man would not sell him. The meat price is about 75 leva, so try an offer of 100 leva and good luck, I was absolutely enchanted by the donkey personality having never had one before.

[tinkerbb2]

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Thanks elaine, this old man knows what I mean, she is "chudding" i.e mouthing a lot
and he indicatd her teeth which feel very rough, Her feet were turning into
turkish slippers but I persuaded a neighbour to trim them, nobody appears to like this man so it is difficult to get help. Have cleared a stable out and just have to wait and see what happens tomorrow when my english speaking friend comes to translate. Hope she is not spirited away in the night. it was only by chance that I looked out last night and saw this man
with a donkey and a sheep in a trailer, trying to get into their house.
He didn't want her as he could tell she was old but I would have gone to
turn her out this morning, as I have been doing for weeks, and her stall
would have been empty.!
Keep you posted

[mickw]

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Hi Tinkerbb2,
Sent you a PM reference fodder for proposed Donkey.

Mick

[tinkerbb2]

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Hi Mick
Dont appear to have received your pm, had one from elaine re the
equine dentist, but none from yourself, would you please re-send
thanks
babs

[Rosa]

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Could I just be so helpful/rude as to point out that the fodder plant talked about here is called alfalfa, ALFALFA. Not lucherna or listerna, or even Lucerne, which is a town in Switzerland. Its Bulgarian name is indeed люцерна (lyutserna) but it really, really is called ALFALFA in English!

Lesson over.

Rosa