# Donkey feed



## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

Right now we are giving them all stock wrangler. Would corn or oats or barley be better? What do you equine people think?


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

You don't say what the condition of these donkeys are. 
Is there a reason to feed them the way you are, or was it just a choice you made?
One thing that you might want to remember. A donkeys digestive system is considerably more efficient at extracting nutrients than either horses or mules. On a normal basis they don't need as rich a food. Most times good clean grass hay will keep them very well. Consistant grain usually isn't good for them.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Barley is a really hot feed that is used for cattle and not a good idea for equines because it's way too easy to founder them on it.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

CIW said:


> You don't say what the condition of these donkeys are.
> Is there a reason to feed them the way you are, or was it just a choice you made?
> One thing that you might want to remember. A donkeys digestive system is considerably more efficient at extracting nutrients than either horses or mules. On a normal basis they don't need as rich a food. Most times good clean grass hay will keep them very well. Consistant grain usually isn't good for them.


The condition of the donkeys is very good. They get hay twice daily. They get mostly pasture in the summer. The reason we feed sweet feed is because, first equine ya get. Just assumed to give them sweet. Would oats or corn be a better choice to feed?


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Adult donkeys do not require any grain. They will do fine with hay or pasture; you need to be careful with access to too much pasture as they will founder (they are basically desert animals). A basic equine mineral, regular dewormings and hoof trims, clean water and a shelter where they can come and go are about the only requirements.

Donkeys are expert trainers and will have you feeding them everything they want after they convince you that you're starving them to death.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

G. Seddon said:


> Adult donkeys do not require any grain. They will do fine with hay or pasture; you need to be careful with access to too much pasture as they will founder (they are basically desert animals). A basic equine mineral, regular dewormings and hoof trims, clean water and a shelter where they can come and go are about the only requirements.
> 
> Donkeys are expert trainers and will have you feeding them everything they want after they convince you that you're starving them to death.


We have grain them during the winter. Right now it's blanketed in snow. Wouldn't the donkeys go hungry without grain?


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

CadesLilFarm said:


> We have grain them during the winter. Right now it's blanketed in snow. Wouldn't the donkeys go hungry without grain?


They have shelter, a mineral block, a water trough, we don't work them unless it's neccessary. We trim their hooves annually.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

With adequate hay, they require no grain, even in winter. 

Most recommend hoof trims every 10 weeks or so. Perhaps "tiempo" who posts on this board will speak up on this! Or you could PM her

What work are your donkeys doing? Are they mini, standard, mammoth?

The American Donkey & Mule Society's website might have some helpful information for you on their care:
http://lovelongears.com/

If you have miniature donkeys, you'll want to check out the National Miniature Donkey Association:
http://nmdaasset.com/

Some all around general info and articles, with a special section on hoof care, if you're interested:
http://www.shadowridgedonkeys.com/links.htm

I was a breeder for a number of years, haven't foaled out any donkeys for 6 years (no market for the minis) and I have a lot of computer bookmarks, so feel free to ask questions and I'll try to help. Still have 13 minis (6 are geldings) and 2 mammoth jennets.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

If they are being properly fed, they will not be hungry without grain and if they are not being properly fed, grain is not a solution. It sounds like their condition is fine but once you start adding grain, you risk obesity and founder, neither are good situations.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

G. Seddon said:


> With adequate hay, they require no grain, even in winter.
> 
> Most recommend hoof trims every 10 weeks or so. Perhaps "tiempo" who posts on this board will speak up on this! Or you could PM her
> 
> ...


They are little minis. The CUTEST donkeys to ever walk the Earth! I need to give my little baby donkey grain though right?


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Although there is absolutely nothing cuter than a miniature donkey foal, most areas of the United States do not need more miniature donkeys; there simply aren't enough homes for them and they have a long lifespan (25-35 years).

I always fed the foals a little bit of grain when they were weaned at 6 months or so (started before weaning actually). All vaccinations and boosters were completed before weaning to reduce stress. I tried never to wean a foal alone (the foal had a companion foal or a jennet other than its mother). 

If the foal is a male (jack), talk to your vet about castration. A gelding will stand a better chance at a good, forever home than an intact jack; even miniature jacks can be a handful and a management problem!!!!

You didn't say what type of "work" they do.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

We are having him gelded in Jan. They don't have any "work" Just to stand out there and scream at us to feed them. They are just pets.


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

A donkey is naturally designed to thrive in a desert environment, eating the leftovers and scrubby stuff. Sure, feeding a LITTLE grain in moderation, especially in winter or to weanling foals won't necessarily HURT them, but really, why go to the extra expense. They honestly don't need it AT ALL, with the exception being perhaps a senior equine who has any trouble keeping weight on. Even then, I'd be more likely to simply feed a good, balanced, senior feed rather than just grain. Our foal thrived on just mom's milk and some hay alongside her, and our mature jenny does just fine on grass hay. Unless you just have money to burn, there is no need to purchase grain. If you like giving treats, a handful of grain here or there won't hurt, but I prefer to just offer a carrot or apple. 

Donkeys are the easiest keepers you'll ever have. Enjoy it!


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

CadesLilFarm said:


> They have shelter, a mineral block, a water trough, we don't work them unless it's neccessary. We trim their hooves annually.


CadesLilFarm, you mentioned working them. That's why I asked what kind of work they do.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

It sounds like you're new to livestock and may not realize that what is required to keep them well. Annual hoof trimming is a few shy of what should be done and you're not really comprehending that you can literally kill and animal with kindness. If you want to give them a treat, pick a nice benign treat like apple wafers, a carrot or maybe a handful of dry pasta but be aware that if you're as green as your posts suggest, treats won't make friends, they create monsters who are unruly if your pockets happen to be empty.


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## Spamela (Nov 23, 2013)

G. Seddon said:


> Adult donkeys do not require any grain. They will do fine with hay or pasture; you need to be careful with access to too much pasture as they will founder (they are basically desert animals). A basic equine mineral, regular dewormings and hoof trims, clean water and a shelter where they can come and go are about the only requirements.
> 
> *Donkeys are expert trainers and will have you feeding them everything they want after they convince you that you're starving them to death*.


:hysterical:

I don't think I've ever seen a truer word said on here


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

G. Seddon said:


> CadesLilFarm, you mentioned working them. That's why I asked what kind of work they do.



Stupid auto correction. WORM them if neccesary. I hate autocorrection


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

wr said:


> It sounds like you're new to livestock and may not realize that what is required to keep them well. Annual hoof trimming is a few shy of what should be done and you're not really comprehending that you can literally kill and animal with kindness. If you want to give them a treat, pick a nice benign treat like apple wafers, a carrot or maybe a handful of dry pasta but be aware that if you're as green as your posts suggest, treats won't make friends, they create monsters who are unruly if your pockets happen to be empty.



We're not new to livestock. Had goats for quite some time. Bad donkeys for about a year now. So we should trim their hooves every 2 months maybe? We trim the goats every 4 weeks. Same way?


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Goats and donkeys are not even closely related. You need to trim about every 6 to 8 weeks but if they aren't being used you may be able to go a bit longer. I'm more concerned about your lack of knowledge about proper feeding because some of your thoughts are dangerous to your donkeys and you seem to ignore solid advice from those who do have experience.


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

No grain. Once a donkey gets fat its hard to ever get the neck roll off of them.

Depends on the donkey as far as hoof care. I have a donkey who needs trimmed every 4 weeks, she has bad feet and health problems of some sort.

Others are fine with twice a year, some every few months.

It also depends on where they are kept. Rocky ground will help naturally trim.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

wr said:


> Goats and donkeys are not even closely related. You need to trim about every 6 to 8 weeks but if they aren't being used you may be able to go a bit longer. I'm more concerned about your lack of knowledge about proper feeding because some of your thoughts are dangerous to your donkeys and you seem to ignore solid advice from those who do have experience.



My lack of knowlage meaning? What have I said that I need to correct. I'm getting all this info from someone in my family who used to raise horses. But please tell me what I'm doing wrong so I can fix it.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

The mere thought of feeding barley to any equine is dangerous because it's very hard to adjust a feed that hot for anything other than cows and I'm shocked any horseman would offer such advice. Donkeys are also much different than horses.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

wr said:


> The mere thought of feeding barley to any equine is dangerous because it's very hard to adjust a feed that hot for anything other than cows and I'm shocked any horseman would offer such advice. Donkeys are also much different than horses.


He didn't tell me about the barley. I was just thinking about it and asked. The advice he is giving me is on other care, (hoofs, pasture, minerals) Barley was just a thought. Wasn't going to jump the gun and buy a bag and feed it to them.


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

Don't feel badly about asking. Ask 10 people the same question, and you will get 20 different answers! 

As far as donkeys and horses go, though, you just need to be aware that donkeys are a very different animal in many ways. Horse people are happy to give info, but unless they actually have experience with donkeys, you have to be careful what you listen to. I learned first hand since I was a horse trainer for many years. My intro to burros happened when I worked with the BLM, and I could see right away how their behavior differed, and how healthy they were after a round up than the horses that came in. Once I got my own, I had to forget most of what I knew about horses, and relearn how to apply it to donkeys if I wanted the best for the animal. 

Assuming your donkey is in good condition/flesh now, just put them on a basic grass hay diet. Pasture may be OK, depending on the donkeys and the pasture, but some don't handle it well. Like a PP said, you can easily kill them with kindness, so just be careful, and realize that they thrive on very basic, but good nutrition. Like horses, though, as you get to know your donkeys, you will learn how often their hooves need trimming (some may need more than others), who needs a few more groceries or not, who does better in cold/hot weather and who doesn't, etc. Hope that helps!


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

redgate said:


> Don't feel badly about asking. Ask 10 people the same question, and you will get 20 different answers!
> 
> As far as donkeys and horses go, though, you just need to be aware that donkeys are a very different animal in many ways. Horse people are happy to give info, but unless they actually have experience with donkeys, you have to be careful what you listen to. I learned first hand since I was a horse trainer for many years. My intro to burros happened when I worked with the BLM, and I could see right away how their behavior differed, and how healthy they were after a round up than the horses that came in. Once I got my own, I had to forget most of what I knew about horses, and relearn how to apply it to donkeys if I wanted the best for the animal.
> 
> Assuming your donkey is in good condition/flesh now, just put them on a basic grass hay diet. Pasture may be OK, depending on the donkeys and the pasture, but some don't handle it well. Like a PP said, you can easily kill them with kindness, so just be careful, and realize that they thrive on very basic, but good nutrition. Like horses, though, as you get to know your donkeys, you will learn how often their hooves need trimming (some may need more than others), who needs a few more groceries or not, who does better in cold/hot weather and who doesn't, etc. Hope that helps!


So I could buy like 2 round bales and leave it for them? So no grain what so ever? Pasture and hay? How often should I worm them once theyre on just pasture? And is a mineral block ok for them? I know goats can't get the nutrients they need from a block. Are donkeys the same way? Would stuff like that change once they're on pasture?


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Mature donkeys in good condition require NO GRAIN WHATSOEVER. A foal MAY benefit from a very small amount of grain; he is growing.

A mineral block will be okay. 

Putting out a round bale means those donkeys will be eating 24/7, way too much. They can do fine on a grass pasture, but you need to watch their weight and limit access! 

Get a farrier who has trimmed donkeys before and knows how to trim their hooves properly. Contact the ADMS (listed above) and get their hoof care packet ($2 or something like that) and share with your farrier. But DO handle their feet and legs on a daily basis, especially the foal.

Teach them to lead, but do not leave a halter on them, especially the foal as he will use his hind leg to scratch his head, could get his hoof caught and die in the struggle to free his hoof.

Deworm as needed; take a fecal sample to the vet or state lab.

You might google some basic donkey care books and read as much as you can. They are different from horses, goats and cattle.


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

G. Seddon said:


> Mature donkeys in good condition require NO GRAIN WHATSOEVER. A foal MAY benefit from a very small amount of grain; he is growing.
> 
> A mineral block will be okay.
> 
> ...


So no round bale free choice? They'll pack on weight? We have someone who knows what theyre doing on hoof trimming. The two older donkeys both know how to lead and are halter broke. We take them out in the yard and lead them in the summer time. It's not safe to leave halters on them all the time? We leave it on the older donkeys all the time if we need to catch them. The baby doesn't have one. 


Sorry I'm asking so many questions! Haha! Just wanna make sure my babies are the picture of health!


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

Ideally, you would buy square bales, and feed flakes as needed twice a day or so. I usually start out with the 2% rule (feed 2% of body weight in hay), and move up or down from there based on condition. Mine thrived on that rule through a 7500 foot altitude Colorado winter, and required a bit less in the summer. This year, I was forced to use a round bale as the donkeys wound up having to move in with cattle for the winter, who are fed free-choice round bale. Now that winter has arrived, no exercise and standing around the hay ring means serious fattening is going on around here!! Her neck roll and back fat pads have started popping out, so I am trying to find a way to get her out of there and back to a controlled feeding regimen.

Hooves are a bit different than horses in that they tend to grow straight rather than flair out, and this can be deceiving. The best way I've found is to pick up the foot and look underneath. The deeper the "bowl" shape inside, the more they need to be trimmed. It will never be as flat as a horse, but it will be pretty close. Also note that they will pretty much always have a thicker heel than a horse. 

I used regular feedings of free-choice kelp with added copper sulfate to take care of the minerals and dewormings (for all my livestock, actually). Then, I run fecal tests periodically to see how things are working and adjust as needed. 

It's never a good idea to leave halters on 24/7. If you MUST, then a halter with a thin break-away leather strap in case they get hung up. The fact that the hoof is longer and thinner (remember it doesn't flare and widen like a horse's) increases the chance that they will get a leg caught up. I've found they also use their front feet a lot. I tried putting grazing muzzles on 2 different donkeys--one mature jenny and one yearling jenny. The yearling used her front hooves to rip the muzzle off in about 5 minutes. The mature one at least bought me 2 days of grazing before completely destroying the thing. That was a total waste of $40! A better idea is to periodically walk out with a treat in hand. Randomly have the halter/lead hanging on your arm (not hidden, but like you would normally carry it), go feed the treat, and then leave. They get so accustomed to the good stuff, the halter doesn't scare them off. When that is going well, randomly feed the treat, and put the halter on. Immediately take it off and walk away. If you randomly switch around what you do, they will never be difficult to catch and halter when you actually want to do something. Keeps it simple. I use this technique for even my best trained equines, just to increase incentive to let me walk up to them and to discourage any thoughts they might have of walking off. It works, especially for an animal as treat-motivated as a donkey! I would recommend you get that foal halter trained and taught to lead now, while she's young. It makes things very easy when you lead mom on one side and foal follows on the other. You'll have a lot less battles now too. Get them used to being handled as soon as possible, but be sure you work on teaching her manners at the same time! Too many folks focus on getting them handle-able and "friendly" but forget to teach manners at the same time. Then they complain that their "friend" is pushy, in their space, walking over them, stepping on them, etc. I've found that the foals are the worst at this, and are constantly testing the boundaries. Remember, whether you are in a training session or not, they are ALWAYS learning what is expected of them, and what they can or can't get away with. 

BTW, I see you are in IL. We are in central IL, not too far from Springfield. My last donkey is currently for sale, but as long as I have her, I'd be happy to show you some of these things in person if you are interested. 

Hope that helps!


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## CadesLilFarm (Sep 23, 2013)

redgate said:


> Ideally, you would buy square bales, and feed flakes as needed twice a day or so. I usually start out with the 2% rule (feed 2% of body weight in hay), and move up or down from there based on condition. Mine thrived on that rule through a 7500 foot altitude Colorado winter, and required a bit less in the summer. This year, I was forced to use a round bale as the donkeys wound up having to move in with cattle for the winter, who are fed free-choice round bale. Now that winter has arrived, no exercise and standing around the hay ring means serious fattening is going on around here!! Her neck roll and back fat pads have started popping out, so I am trying to find a way to get her out of there and back to a controlled feeding regimen.
> 
> Hooves are a bit different than horses in that they tend to grow straight rather than flair out, and this can be deceiving. The best way I've found is to pick up the foot and look underneath. The deeper the "bowl" shape inside, the more they need to be trimmed. It will never be as flat as a horse, but it will be pretty close. Also note that they will pretty much always have a thicker heel than a horse.
> 
> ...



Redgate, we raise show goats, we need the small square bales mostly for them. They BURN through it like mad during the winter. So with the donkeys, we will go through it quicker, and have to buy bad hay sooner. About the copper sulfate, is that all it is or do you give a block and a mineral to go with it? We do pasture rotations with our goats and donkeys every day, so it's easier to leave their halters on. We must leave it on our "teenager" about 2 yr old, she doesn't like the goats and will attack them. So we have to catch her if she goes after them. So, a leather/breakaway halter would be good for that? 

One more question,(maybe), when should we wean our little foal? He was born on June 23 of this year. Whe I wean him, should I put him in with the goats and the LGD? Or just not even wean him and leave him with mom? 



Thank you!


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## redgate (Sep 18, 2008)

As far as hay, we calculated how much we would need, and bought all we could during hay season, while it was cheaper. As a general rule, you buy by the poundage fed. Calculate 2% of the donkey's weights, and 10% of the goats weight. Add those together, divide by the size bales you use, and that gives you an approximation of what you will need for the winter. For example, if you have 2 500 lb donkeys and 4, 100 lb goats (I'm using easy numbers, you can do exacts):

1000 lbs of donkey x .02 = 20 lbs hay/day
400 lbs of goat x .10 = 40 lbs hay/day
20+40=60 lbs hay/day needed
60 lbs/day x 30 days in a month = 1800 lbs hay/month needed
1800 lbs/50 lb bales =36 bales a month.
and so on.

I like to get my final number, and add an additional 10% to be safe. I always feed extra during major cold snaps. If you feel the need to buy lower quality hay to save money, put it in separate stacks, and use the lesser hay to feed the donkeys. They will thrive on it while the goats won't (especially dairy!). 

I use kelp as the main mineral supplement. Thorvin Icelandic kelp is my favorite. None of the minerals are synthetic like most of your mineral blocks and mixes. It can all be easily assimilated. And it is great for all livestock--goats, chickens, cows, sheep, equines, etc. Even my dogs have it in their kibble. The kelp is loose, though, and I've found the animals aren't drawn to it as much once they feel it has gone "stale" sitting there (not sure that's an appropriate term since it doesn't spoil, but they never really eat after about 2 days of sitting out). So, I give a scoop of fresh kelp in their mineral feeder every few days. Less waste that way. Be aware that when you first start feeding it, they will likely go through a TON of it (especially goats). That will show you how bad the deficiency is. They will often eat however much you offer them for 2-3 days. Then, they will back off. This is normal. They are just trying to catch up on the mineral requirement needs. 

I have found animals get seasonal shortages in copper. The only animal that needs no copper supplementation is sheep--it can kill them if they get more than what is found in their kelp or mineral blocks. Common signs of copper deficiency are a black coat with reddish tones or white coat with orange-ish tones, irregular heat cycles, low appetite, iron deficiency, trouble conceiving, goats have a "fish tail" look to their tail tip, thinning, coarse fur, parasites, etc. I look for 2 or more signs usually to ensure it's copper deficiency, as copper can be lethal if used improperly. Cattle, goats, and horses/donkeys, however, require much more copper than most people realize. For the most part, kelp covers their needs. Every now and then, though, one will develop a shortage, so I keep loose copper on hand for that. I just top dress it on their kelp that day, and they usually clean it right up. If you are really worried about it, you can administer an equal portion of dolomite and/or some vitamin C. Neither will hurt the animal, but can prevent toxicity from a mild overdose of copper (or other chemical). These are my go-to treatments for the most part, and my herd is incredibly healthy. FAct is, heavy parasite loads just won't hang around in a copper-sufficient host. 

We also do pasture rotations, but our donkeys quickly learned the routine, and just headed into the next pasture. They taught our cows what to do, so now cows pretty much follow the leader, no halter needed! If you must though, the breakaway halter is the way to go. Just make sure the leather is thin enough to break if they get caught up. I actually put a plastic chain collar on my cow (just like the plastic chain goat collars, but bigger) that I have to lead regularly back and forth. Like the leather, the plastic is designed to break off if they get caught on anything. Much safer!

As far as weaning, that's up to you. He will likely get very rabunctious over the next year or so, and then calm down. I found this to be an iffy time to leave them with animals--particularly babies that can't escape fast enough. The dam will wean naturally eventually, somewhere between 1 and 2 years old. Her milk is likely minimal now, as it is. If you need to separate, go for it, but understand, both dam and foal will likely take their frustration out on the other animals. Just be aware of that as you determine how to separate them. As a general rule (there are always exceptions, of course), the jennies make better guardians than the jacks or geldings. The boys just tend to rough the stock up too much. 

Just my 2 cents. Hope that helps.


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## DragonFlyFarm (Oct 12, 2012)

Try butt scratches instead of food treats. My mini, Dante, will walk away from feed for a good butt scratch. My standard Romeo was the same way.... he also loved having the inside of his ears scratched - made the funniest faces! If you feel you need a feed to bring them in, my vet suggested a low starch pelleted feed, just a tiny handful (I use WellSolve L/S. Enjoy your donkeys, they are a ton of fun!


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