What to feed a Mini Donkey?

[Breezy_Ridge]

I know someone that just got a new mini donkey. This is a great home for the donkey, but she's unsure of what to feed him. Are there certain things that horses can eat and donkey's can't? Can donkeys eat grain? If so, are there certain grains (type/brand) that a donkey shouldn't have? Is alfalfa and grass hay ok?

Thanks so much for the advice.

JoEllen Murphy

 

[minimule]

Hi!

My donkey gets 4#s of good grass a day (split into 2 feedings) and 1 cup of Nutrena Safe Choice 2x a day. He is in great shape and stays that way. He is Grand Champion show donkey.

Donkeys shouldn't get a lot of protein. That is what causes the fat pockets all over. Alfalfa is too hot for them too. It usually gives them the runs because it is too rich. Donkeys can survive on poorer quality feeds than horses (a fact but why not feed them good stuff anyway!). The farm that I got Kilroy from feed their donks good grass hay, rolled oats and occasionally a little sweet feed as their treats. Their donks all look really good.

 

[Breezy_Ridge]

Thanks for the help!!

 

[lamindica]

We give our's just very little sweet feed. More of a treat than anything. They fight over it. They eat grass in the summer and hey in the winter. They like alfalfa but its too rich and I'm afraid they will founder. We buy sudan hey. Mine need to go on a diet because they are getting fat necks.

 

[DunPainted]

Hi Jo Ellen:

What I like to do is give our donkey twice daily rations of SOUPY, shreaded beet pulp mixed with 1/2 cup of grain (my own recipe) and 1/3 cup of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds). Clyde isn't a big "drinker", so to keep him hydrated and his energy level up, the watery mixture is perfect for the summer....and it keeps the fat pockets at bay.

Having traveled through north Africa where 80% of their transport are donkeys, there's very little quality hay to eat. That said, based on their genetic make-up, it's little wonder that they're easy keepers and eat all the stuff their pasturemates won't touch.

Sure hope your friend enjoys her donkey. Clyde is our second donkey that we just adopted (our previous one died of old age last October) and he's 20 years old. What a lovely, friendly guy....not an ounce of aloofness in his body!

Take care.....and encourage her to post photos of her new donkey!

Cindy

 

[MeadowRidge Farm]

The one thing you have to watch with your donkeys is the protein percentage, they dont need it and if they do get it you will end up with fat pockets. Same as with hay, they do just fine on a "lower" grade of hay. Donkeys are VERY easy keepers. Mine get fed a sloppy mess of soaked beet pulp and about 1 cup of grain, mixed in with it. I do have a nice alfalfa blend hay which I feed to my horses, and since the donkeys are in with them they also eat this, and I have had no problems with them getting the "runs", but the jennys do look like they could go on a diet!

My rescue donkeys get fed the same way except I do increase there grain /beet pulp/ conditioner to about 2 cups of grain, and they get fed this twice a day until I see that they have gained weight and maintaining it, then they go down to 1 cup of grain. All have free choice to the hay. 24/7. Corinne

 

[Vicky Texas]

HELP, I to need help.

Our mini donkey is way to fat. How or what do I feed him to get him to lose

the fat. He run's with our minis mares. So I have been seperating him from them

at feeding time and feeding him with a tiny mini mare, who needs to lose some

weight to. He has to have someone with him or run's the fence breying. Not good

when you live next to a Doctor office.

I have been feeding him Horseman's Edge. Like the safe choice but not as good.

We have started this week switching over to the Safe Choice. Much better feed.

Is this to high protein for him? Will he lose weight on it, if I give him the correct amount? How much is correct to? He gets fed twice a day. He gets hay on the evening. Grain on the AM. Just a bit of grain at night. Mostly hay. I am trying to limit his hay to, trying not to give to much. He is in a dry lot. You would think he was grazing all the time, but he is not. So it's got to be the protein level.

When he ran with them he got Omeleme 200 and horseman's edge mix. Mostly Horseman's edge. I took away the Omeleme. And I am seperating him. He has got to lose the pounds. I keep telling him he is on a diet.

Is the Safe Choice okay for him? Or what do I feed this boy. The hay is coastal.

Vicky

Please help..

 

[minimule]

Kilroy gets 1 cup of Safe Choice 2x a day. He either gets good fescue (fungus free for the mares!) or a really good timothy grass. I was giving him beet pulp but he doesn't like his grain to get soggy. He is pretty picky about his food.

He paces a lot, especially when the mares are turned out so he burns any fat off. He had developed a little bit of fat on his back but when we got the older gelding full size, he worked that off in less than a month. He looks awesome right now and we only get 1 show this year. BUMMER!!!!!

 

[Vicky Texas]

MiniMule

Thank you for your help. I will try the safe choice. And seperating him, maybe

it will make him run the fence some. If he does not, then when it cools down

I am going to start round pen with him. I can do it with running him with a mare

and do it very slowly in the beginning. Like we do the show horses. He is not a show donkey. I got him to protect the mares. But I do not want him to be unhealthy. I have gotten very attached to him. I would love when we move to have another one. I would love to find then a cream one.

Thank you for your help

Vicky

 

[Harmony]

Mini donkeys need, love, timothy hay, clean water, good hoof care and a job.

Harmony