Hamerton Toby, the miniature Mediterranean donkey is very friendly, although he does like to get his own way. At the age of four a donkey is physically and mentally mature enough for its serious education to begin (just as children start school at four or five). Donkeys came to England when the Romans invaded Britain in the year AD43 and they make wonderful guard animals. Keep an eye out for a few more donkeys at the farm park, can you find out their names?
Farmer Palmer says...
• A male donkey is called a jack. A girl is a jenny and, like the ponies, the babies are called foals.
• They make an Eee Orr sound.
• How many hooves can you see?
• Can you see the difference between a donkey's ears and a pony's ears?
• A donkey's coat is not waterproof.
Farmer Palmer's animals are traditional farm animals, together with popular pet animals like guinea pigs and rabbits. They are taken care of by our dedicated team in the Animal Barn in line with Defra's Farm Animal Welfare Council's Five Freedom Advice.
A herd of Red Deer live at Farmer Palmer’s and you and your children can meet and feed them in our Deer Feeding experience (check timetable to see if this event is running).
We have several cows on the farm park. You can sometimes see them grazing out in the fields. Our daily animal events are advertised at the front desk, you’re welcome to take a photo of the timetable.
Farmer Palmer’s is home to lots of sheep. Each year, many of our ewes have lambs. You can see the babies out in the fields skipping and jumping. Their mums are very protective and caring.
Our ponies adore praise and are eager to please, most of the time. In the summer they live outside in the field or paddock and eat grass and a little pony food. In the winter they come in and eat hay. They must always have fresh, clean water.
Pigs do not like being muddy or dirty during the winter. In hot summer months they cover themselves in cool mud & water to regulate their body temperature – because pigs cannot sweat!