Miniature donkeys aren’t your average pet, but there’s no doubt about the fact that they are pretty adorable. Donkeys range from small to quite large, but you should never need to feed a donkey the same amount of food as a horse or pony of similar size. Donkeys evolved in the arid and semi-arid areas of the Middle East and North Africa, and as a result can get all the nutrients they need from high fibre, scrubby pasture. Managing the diet of any equid can be a challenge, but caretakers of draft horses, donkeys, mules, Miniature Horses, and ponies can simplify the task by … They need plenty of hay, even if you have a good pasture for them to browse and nibble. This Miniature Donkey Shelter House faces south east but is open in the front so the donkeys can come and go as they please. However, because donkeys are much more efficient than horses in using their feed for energy, Stallone does not advise allowing your miniature donkey to graze on grass or hay 24/7. Donkeys need clean, fresh water at all times — without exception! We like to feed … Consider training to bucket feed. Miniature donkeys require good quality hay and fresh, clean water. That enables the descendants of these desert dwellers to more easily digest what they are fed. I wouldn’t have thought you need to worry if you only gave them one each but don’t give them any more. How Much to Feed. Any good quality grass hay, such as Bermuda, Timothy or Orchard would be good choices for miniature donkeys. A 12’x12′ horse stall can easily house 1-3 Miniature Donkeys or two standard donkeys. Rescue donkeys that are underweight will need additional foods, and so do pregnant jennets. Miniature donkeys need to be provided with enough pasture to … Yes, it's wonderful. Not quite. 2. Such is the luxury allowed when not working. Because donkeys are trickle feeders, give them food as little and as often as possible. WEAN YOUR FOALS Between 4 and 6 months of age is the appropriate age for a miniature donkey foal to be weaned. Are miniature donkeys a separate species from regular donkeys? Nothing like the easy keeper standards… certainly not like minis. Sometimes they also make friends with the family dog. Donkeys and mules that are not doing any work should be able to meet all of their nutrient requirements from good grass hay (such as timothy or orchard grass offered from Standlee Premium Western Forage) fed at a rate of 1.5% of body weight and a low-intake ration balancer pellet. Creep feed of 18% protein is recommended (Foal Mix) WEEK 4 Feed 500 mls each time. For 11 years Alyce Crompton owned and bred miniature pigs — and it was going well by all accounts, with a year-long waiting list and strict vetting process. We have not figured out who craves the attention the most -- the donkey or the human. Facebook. There has been a continual demand for miniature donkeys and the prices have remained relatively stable for many years even through the ups and downs of the economy. Miniature donkeys need shelter in a barn or a 3-sided shelter in order to be able to get in from rain, wind, snow and even extreme sunshine in the summer months. Reply Delete Instead, they’re simply a small breed of donkey, mostly from the island of Sardinia. Their primary food is grass, but they also graze other shrubs and desert plants. 5 Feeds a day. Since I’ll be out there everyday to feed and water the Miniature Donkeys I can clear snow from the roof when it becomes necessary. Donkeys require around 1.5-1.8% of their body weight in dry matter per day. They weigh between 250 to 450 pounds and are at least 32-inches in height. Donkeys developed in desert and other arid climates, basically scrounging around for available forage. The owners should add supplement with a commercial feed if only use poor quality hay. On your land, you will also need a shelter for sleeping and getting out of the rain. Please do NOT feed any grain. When feeding the former, make sure that give the donkey just a handful eat day, and avoid feeding your donkey just oats as it will be too rich for the donkey to digest. They are small, easy to manage and healthy. Read more of our frequently asked questions. Ideally your hay selection should be in the range of 10% to 12% protein. Miniature Donkeys crave your attention! At this time of year, dinner feed for the donkeys has jumped up to 5:30. In the future, only feed your animals clean, unexpired food. If you decide to change their type of feed for any reason, do it little by little or gradually for more than a couple of weeks. Time spent grooming and brushing donkeys is a wonderful way to bond with them and earn their never-ending trust. Donkeys eat hay and grains, and will also need fresh water and a salt block to ensure that they stay fit and healthy. Keep your donkey happy and content by loving on her daily. Treats, biscuits and most food made for dogs or cats contains meat products and is therefore not suitable for donkeys. Uses of the Miniature Donkey . Donkeys are able to utilize their feed very efficiently and can survive on good quality hay alone. Allow access to fresh water and salt. Supply good quality grains and limited quality hay and start the foal weaning. 9. I have just enough time to feed donks, lock up the hens, and make it back to the house on … Additionally, feeding your donkey any kind of grain, such as pellets or oats, can promote obesity. A foal should not be Follow us online! They CANNOT survive without shelter of some sort! Get your mini donkeys and other farm animals vaccinated for botulism. Donkeys aren't horses, and nowhere is that more apparent than in their feed needs. Once you have these things, you’re ready to go. If another donkey is not available at least provide a pony, lama, goat or cow. Twitter. Milk Bone Dog Biscuits are not safe to feed donkeys. Miniature donkeys are natives to the Mediterranean Islands and are sometimes referred to as mediterranean donkeys. Donkeys do not need as large a space to be happy as horses do because they look at things differently. Despite their name, miniature donkeys aren't that tiny. Equine Influenza For miniature donkeys, all you would need to feed is 10 g (1/3 oz) per day. We stopped using horse and mule feed for our MATURE donkeys because we found that it was putting weight on our donkeys but not muscle, probably because it contains “sweet" additives such as molasses. Do not feed alfalfa which is too high in protein, except foals may benefit from small amounts of alfalfa. Miniature donkeys must not … They play around and around rather than taking off at a good head of … Do not feed … Yes, they love it, but donkeys should not have any cereal grain, as recommend by the UK Donkey Sanctuary. Donkeys become ill with life-threatening diseases when they eat too much protein and other nutrient-rich food. If you are new to genetic principals and husbandry it would be helpful to you to find a knowledgeable, responsible breeder to ask questions of. This feed comes in 10, 12, and 14 percent protein amounts. Miniature donkeys are fun to breed and a wonderful means of making additional income. Your shelter will need to be about 12 x 12 feet space for 1-3 donkeys. This product does not add a significant amount of protein to the diet. If only poor quality hay is available, it should be supplemented with a commercial feed. Just be careful not to over feed them, because they may get overweight. To be officially classified as “miniature,” they have to measure no more than 36 inches tall. If you are looking for fun, and you love donkeys but are afraid of the common reasons not to get a donkey (the large ones can be intimidating to a beginner, they are more expensive to feed, and need a lot more space) then a miniature … Keep me posted! Plus, my mammoths have jobs. Feed your pets according to their age and weight. Donkeys can also eat organic freeze dried grass, pre-made pellets that have all the vital nutrients and mixture of oats, oat bran and corn. All donkeys are classified as equus africanus asinus, including the miniature donkey.However, they're a special and particular breed that shouldn't be confused with small donkeys in general. The miniature donkey male is called a Jack while the female is called a Jennet. Nowadays it's seldom used. Miniature donkey personalities are so interesting too. Never feed alfalfa hay; it is much too rich and high in protein. That’s the total amount of dry matter in grass, hay, straw and chaff (before soaking), which amounts to a minimum of: 1.5kg per day for a 100kg miniature; 2-3kg per day for a 180kg standard donkey; 5-6kg per day for a 400kg mammoth; Dry Matter We feed our donkeys a good quality grass hay twice a day, lactating moms and foals get an equine grain mixture every day. We also give them carrots, apples etc. Be careful not to overfeed your donkey. Because donkeys are prone to weight gain, their feed should be closely monitored. Your equine vet may not be able to do anything, but it’s worth a try. The miniature donkey has many uses, the most common being a pet or companion animal. If your mini donkey already has botulism, hightail it to the vet. T1-11 siding going on the miniature donkey shelter house. Mini-donkeys are bought as pets and paddock ornaments — their manageable size, impressive colours and low feed requirements making them some of the best hobby livestock available. Miniature donkeys are small donkeys that are commonly bred as pets and show animals. The dwarf of miniature donkeys requires good quality hay and fresh, clean water. When I say mammoth, I’m talking about donkeys 14 hh and up. Have you still got a few questions about what to feed your donkeys? Donkeys live a long time and who can say what decisions will be made down the line and breeding “only pets” is not good for the future of Miniature Donkeys. Feeding and nutrition advice. Donkeys are different to horses in more ways than one. If not, that could also be contributing to his hoof condition. Feed. Find out what your donkey should eat. Donkeys are herd animals and need to be given a companion. Feeding the Mammoth Donkey **Mammoth donkeys are another story. Fat is stored in the neck and rump. The buckets are much smaller and have a longer shelf life, so there would be no concern about the product going stale. 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