# Donkeys in the cold



## BSA1

I was wondering I just bought 2 donkeys at an auction, I am really worried about them right now because its raining ice and its going to start snowing plus its windy I have not been able to get them in with my horses yet because I have to work with them one of my mares is pretty bossy and the donkeys are pretty skitish so I cant get near them yet anyways they do not have shelter they are in the middle of my yard in a pen theres a few windblocks thats keeping them out of the direct wind but it still worries me. Can donkeys handle being out in the cold without any protection? I just do not know what to do, please any advice would be great.


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## fishhead

Can you add a temporary roof to one of the windbreaks? Maybe some kind of lean-to.


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## BSA1

I don't have anything to do that with the wind block is a shed and a garage. All I have are tarps. The roads are to bad to go anywhere, I dunno what to do I feel so bad.


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## Cheribelle

Put them in the garage?


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## jill.costello

Wind + icy water equals hypothermia...I would put them in the garage. Whatever mess they make can be cleaned up, but you will feel terrible if they go down and need a vet.

Could you attach a large tarp to the side of a building and run it out to 2 poles or tee-posts as a lean-to type roof??


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## beccachow

Jill has a great idea. I actually made an extra stall out of the overhang of my barn with tarps stapled to the barn itself. I had three horses, two stalls, and one of the horses was really old and infirm. I left him the tarped part, left it like that for the entire winter. It was noticeably warmer in there, and the tarps protected from all wetness. They were the heavy canvas type, so no fear from flapping tarps. Durng exceptionally bad weather, I stalled two and left good old JD out in the bigger enclosed area, they were right next to each other the whole time. Lots of hay for everyone, they were happy as can be.

If you really can't get them out of the weather, lots and lots of hay.


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## bergere

This is Ella the Jenny. She hated the rain, cold and snow.. would shiver up a storm. 
She would bellow at me non stop until she got her mid weight waterproof turn out. She would help me put it on for her and heave a big happy sigh once it was on.










Many donkey's can't handle freezing rain and snow.


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## BSA1

I put up a tarp on one side and I am going to put a roof on it when I get some help tonite, thanks for all the advise and I forgot to say the temperature here is about 35 degrees so I don't no if that makes a difference or not but I thought I would mention it.


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## Jackie

A lot of people dont realize this, but donkeys DO NOT do cold. They are designed for hot weather, not cold. When its really windy donkeys will actually stand out of the wind and refuse to eat unless hay is brought to them. Mine have windbreaks, and shelters depending on where they are. 

That temp normally wouldn't bother a donkey, but ad rain and wind and its bad.  Mine are ok in -40 with no blanket as long as they can get out of the wind. Obviously no rain at that temp! loL!


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## horsepoor21

My BLM (from North Dakota) donkey must be the exception ! He doesn't mind the cold at all . He does have a loafing shed he can go into . I never cater to the animals , they can come out and eat or I guess they'll just miss a meal . LOL They all ,always come out no matter what the weather .


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## BSA1

Well I put up a homemade lean to with a tarp and a panel and it worked they go in and out of it and I fed them in it last night but they chose not to stay in it so at least I tried maybe they like the cold lol.


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## Witterbound

35 degrees just doesn't sound that cold to me. Cattle, horses, and mules survive in much much colder temperatures without shelter. I've got a run in for my horse and mule, and they would rather be out in the open, even at night when the temperatures fall to near zero.


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## 2fat2fly

Zero..............I wish. -45 out with the windchill right now.


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## southerngurl

I have been known to put oil on my horses. Just rubbed it in my hands and wiped it on real lightly. But this has to be done before they get wet. It will help them shed rain longer. Freezing rain is the only thing I have to worry about for them would rather have snow for sure!


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## Rogo

I can only speak for my own donkeys -- miniature, standard and Mammoth. They grow/shed their coat for whatever the weather is. Never had any problems. Like all my stock, they're not confined but roam free within the perimeter fence and find their own comfort zones.


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## steff bugielski

I too have three mini donkeys. One is 6 months old. They have a shed but often are soaked with ice icicles hanging off their eyelashes. They seem to be ok. Lots of hay keeps the internal furnace going.


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## wr

If you're fork feeding, it's important to adjust your feed during cold weather.


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## arabian knight

or just bring him in the house.
Charley Says hi.


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## Lisa in WA

Rogo said:


> I can only speak for my own donkeys -- miniature, standard and Mammoth. They grow/shed their coat for whatever the weather is. Never had any problems. Like all my stock, they're not confined but roam free within the perimeter fence and find their own comfort zones.


but you do live in the Arizona desert. Not a place known for it's freezing rain.


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## Rogo

=== but you do live in the Arizona desert. Not a place known for it's freezing rain. ===


The desert can be warm in the winter during the day, but you can freeze your butt off at night. There are times we go below freezing at night and some days aren't so warm.

Granted, the critters aren't piled over with snow where I live, but there's areas here that are. I've been told the snow is an insulator and keeps them warm. Wouldn't work for THIS human! -LOL-

I have loafing sheds (3 sides and a roof) and the critters can get out of the weather if they choose to.

When the winter coats start growing in, I know just what kind of winter we're going to have. Our winters have been getting colder every year and their winter coats have been getting thicker and thicker every year.

I'd like my old Arizona back.


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## Lisa in WA

Rogo said:


> === but you do live in the Arizona desert. Not a place known for it's freezing rain. ===
> 
> 
> The desert can be warm in the winter during the day, but you can freeze your butt off at night. There are times we go below freezing at night and some days aren't so warm.
> 
> Granted, the critters aren't piled over with snow where I live, but there's areas here that are. I've been told the snow is an insulator and keeps them warm. Wouldn't work for THIS human! -LOL-
> 
> I have loafing sheds (3 sides and a roof) and the critters can get out of the weather if they choose to.
> 
> When the winter coats start growing in, I know just what kind of winter we're going to have. Our winters have been getting colder every year and their winter coats have been getting thicker and thicker every year.
> 
> I'd like my old Arizona back.


Lol..I know, I used to live there. We were in the desert for 9 years, 1 year north of Flagstaff. The only real reason I worried about shelter was protection from the sun in summer. (Though they did need a place to get out of the snow in FLagstaff)


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## bergere

I lived in San Diego for 4 years, very different kind of clime than the NW.
Hot during the day and in the winter very cold but a dry cold. 
Only rained 3 days the 4 years we were there, warm rain at that. One xmas the slightest dusting of snow that passed quickly.

Desert areas don't have the super heavy rain, then a hard freeze at night and lasting for days. Add some snow and Donkeys can have issues. 
Different areas of the country, specially the very wet areas and those with super cold, can be hard on many donkeys. No matter how much you feed them.

As I said... Ella let her opinions be know quite loudly. ;O)


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## Irish Pixie

Horses are most comfortable at around 30-40 degrees, however that's if they're dry. Soaking wet to the skin doesn't let the air into the coat to act as an insulator. There are other factors as well: how heavy the coat, is the horse muddy (the hair can't loft), how used to the cold it is, etc. I use non-insulated rain sheets- they block wind, and keep them dry.


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## arabian knight

That is why I have "run ins" so the animals can if they choose to that is get in out of the weather. i am not forcing them in, and besides I have no doors fro my run ins even though they are really barns. So my donkeys when I have had them do not get any blankets, nor did my miniature horses, nor does the small Shetland I have now. I don;t even own a blanket.


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## MTplainsman

This is what I have to add to this topic... I am from the coldest part of MT. Hardly a tree to be found for hundreds of miles. I live in the Northern Plains. Wind most days of the week are the rule, not the exception. I own two donkeys that share much room with a longhorn steer, also originating from Southern climates. I will say this in my situation. Though I have a shed and/or wind breaks for most of my animals around my house, excepting my commercial cattle herd which have next to nothing, my donks and thin-skinned steer can take more bitter cold and crappy elements (such as soaking cold rain) than you give them even partial credit for. I'm gonna tell you right now, these larger hoofed animals are TOUGH!!! Ya, maybe some originated in the warmer climates, but for some God-known reason, they can survive some of the worst weather that we could ever be expected of them with almost seemingly ease! Humans are wimps, can't stand a temp fluctuation without making sure our neighbors in the next state know about it. Has anyone ever noticed that a typical donkey gets a winter coat in Northern latitudes? You can take a Kentucky slick-coat horse and ship him to the Hi-line of MT... and the very first winter, that spoiled old horse will have a rough long haired coat he's enjoying whiles he hauling hooves around the pasture in -30 temps! Give the donkeys what you can in way of comfort, but please realize, that you shouldn't loose sleep over such a thing. Large animals get such little credit from us humans, that it's rediculous. My donks and steer have been through -48 actual air temps before the wind started to blow. They should be frozen standing up according to many of you. Don't worry so much about cold, nor eve to much about freezing rain, but keep your focus on full bellies and a constant supply of water.


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## Alisa2

My sister lives in Kansas, has two donkeys one fairly young and wild, the other fairly old and tame, both don't like to be petted, only fed. lol They both don't like the barn so it's hard to get them in even in below 10 degree freezing rain weather. The tamer one we can coerce to go in the barn and the other one doesn't want to be alone so most of the time he follows the other. But for the most part they are always exposed to the elements. I feel sorry for them too, but what can you do when they don't want to go in the barn? Last night was pretty cold, I'll have to check with the sis to see if she got them to go in the barn. I was thinking about buying the older tamer one a blanket, but I'm almost certain he's not going to like it.


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## G. Seddon

I guess my donkeys are spoiled; they tolerate cold temps very well, but despise rain and snow. They have access to a barn where I provide hay, and they never turn that option down. They've got shavings as bedding on top of stall mats through the cold months and they love that. A bit harder on clean-up, but whatever..... Donkeys do not tolerate being locked in stalls. If they have free choice for shelter from the wind and precipitation, then leave it up to them. A little hay in there on the cold nights wouldn't hurt; a night or two of that and they will come to expect it. Don't let them down. I think the problem you might be more concerned about is caring for their feet (farrier trimming every 8-10 weeks), worming (every 2-4 months) and annual vaccinations and checking their teeth. If you earn their trust by spending time with them and brushing them, and talking to them, they will handle the difficult things better; it will take time, but they'll respond to picking up a foot (say "LIFT" and reward with a treat. The blanket? The only donkey I've ever blanketed was a starving 6-mo. old rescue donkey foal who had no physical resources to survive and desperately needed a blanket. I presently have a 28-yr. old donkey with bad teeth who gets Equine Sr. twice a day, tries to nibble at hay, but doesn't need a blanket...yet! Don't despair...donkeys know who cares for them, they learn quickly, they never forget, and will become your best friends with some effort on your part.


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## Oregon1986

Nobody likes a cold a$$


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## Alisa2

My sister does not take care of them like she should. They're actually my sister's daughter's donkeys, however, she doesn't have a source of steady income so it's off the plate as far as yearly vaccinations, checking teeth, and worming every 2-4 months as she doesn't have the money get it done. I've never heard her talk about vaccinations let alone worming. I really wish people who don't have the means to take care of animals would stop getting them.


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## Bearfootfarm

Oregon1986 said:


> Nobody likes a cold a$$


I see what you did there.


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## Oregon1986

Bearfootfarm said:


> I see what you did there.


Someone had to


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## Bearfootfarm

Alisa2 said:


> But for the most part they are always exposed to the elements.


Give them a roof to stand under when they want and they can handle everything else just fine. 
They have evolved to live in the open.


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## Grey Mare

Having had horses all my life, and friends who have mules and donkey's, really depends on where you live. Blanketing or not is a huge debate among many. As Pixie said, in cold weather but it dry, long as their hair isn't matted down or wet, they can stay warmer and with hay to eat, helps keep them warm. 

However, if their body weight is down, if they are skinny, wormy, sick, etc. this is all going to play into their health and well being. If their immune system is already run down, it won't help if they are out in the elements having to "deal with it". 

The OP did well trying to find a means to get them out of the elements till he can better look them over and evaluate further their body weight.


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## muleskinner2

Alisa2 said:


> My sister does not take care of them like she should. They're actually my sister's daughter's donkeys, however, she doesn't have a source of steady income so it's off the plate as far as yearly vaccinations, checking teeth, and worming every 2-4 months as she doesn't have the money get it done. I've never heard her talk about vaccinations let alone worming. I really wish people who don't have the means to take care of animals would stop getting them.


A tube of wormer costs about ten bucks, and takes two minutes to administer.


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