Congratulations you own a donkey! Donkeys evolved from the desert this is why the donkey has pointy hooves to walk on hard ground full-time. Donkeys have been given the gift to survive on low sugar and protein forage. Please understand if you give your donkey the wrong foods or too much food and the opportunity to graze full-time they will become obese get sick and die a slow painful death.
Owning donkeys is truly a beautiful and blessed experience I highly recommend you do your homework before bringing two donkeys into your life. Please watch my free youtube video “Bringing Your Donkey Home.”
Donkeys living in the desert will browse, eating highly fibrous plant material in small quantities throughout the day. Please think about the environment your farm is on. Do you live in the desert part of the world or the wet and green like we do in the Pacific Northwest, Washington?
Living in the green and wet part of the world takes a bit of planning.
- Create shelter big enough for all the donkeys to get out of the rain, snow and heat.
- Create hot wire tracks to keep your donkeys moving and exercising and not overeating. No grazing muzzle needed.
How Do I find low-sugar and protein hay or straw for my donkeys?
Healthy young donkeys eat hay. Geriatric donkeys eat hay mash Standlee Hay Pellets add hot water and make into an oatmeal consistency.
All forage (hay or straw) must be tested as the brand of hay or straw and color has nothing to do with the sugar content. Ideally, we want 10% or lower in sugar and protein for the donkey and portion control. Test hay in the USA at Equine Analytical Lab I use the slow feeder Hay Pillow to feed my donkeys and horses in tested low sugar and protein hay locked inside of the high country slow feeder inside the shelter.. Two meals a day is ideal. If you have extremely cold weather you can give a little extra in the slow feeder before bed. Do not feed vitamins, beet pulp, oats, or sweet feed. Donkeys need minerals Salt, clean water, and warm clean water in freezing temperatures.
Provide salt with minerals add selenium if your hay does not have it and remove it your hay has selenium. We use lose salt add as needed for our donkeys and horses.
Clean water is a must, warm clean water in the winter. We use the heated buckets in the barn, cleaning buckets and water every other day.
If you would like to hire Melody Johnson as a personal consultant or coach for your farm select DONKEY TRAINER for a Zoom meeting.
Thank you for investing in your donkeys,
Melody Johnson