This is the time of year when the farm delivers newborns. I know that because I start having to go on the lookout during the night to check on the animals. I’m not complaining though; the smells are great at that time and I often get a good scent to follow.
Only a few days ago we had a real surprise when we went out to feed the animals. A baby donkey that looks like me! Now, Mr Max and Mrs Millie have lived together for five years and they’ve not produced any newborns, so this was truly a shock for everyone. We all had to work really hard, as the new baby hadn’t had any milk during the night and could die. You see, Mrs Millie found it difficult to look after the newborn because she was badly treated herself before she came to live with us.
I watched as the old’uns and young’uns all helped to get some milk from Mrs Millie and they managed to get half a bottleful. Of course, I kept quiet as I knew this was a difficult job because Mrs Millie was scared and she can kick like a buckaroo when she wants to. The newborn drank the milk and everyone looked happy. Then he drank another and another. It seemed like he was drinking bottles all day and I’ve got to say that I got a little fed up with this, as it wasn’t being shared and I love a drop of the white stuff; it always makes me feel that I can cope with the day.
If you didn’t already know, baby donkeys are called fouls. Once they get older, boy donkeys are called jacks and girl donkeys are called jennys. Our new donkey has been named Murphy Smurf and he lives next to Mrs Millie so they are close, but she can’t hurt him. I think he looks like me, although he has longer ears and legs. I reckon once he gets older he will develop more of my good looks!
