Mini Donkey Basics

When people find out we have donkeys, most of the reactions we get are ones of complete surprise. It's almost as if we said we were raising giraffes or gazelles or something completely foreign. Part of my motivation behind raising these animals is to help people understand that these creatures are some of the most endearing on earth and they are pretty easy to keep. This post is a brief summary of the basic care needed to raise a miniature donkey.

1: Space

Miniature donkeys should have 1/2- 1 acre of pasture to roam. If the pasture is lush green grass, you should have a separation area in which to put them in order to keep them from over eating. This space is called a dry lot. For fencing, cattle panels work wonderfully as does some of the smaller wire fencing. Barbed wire should be avoided.

2: Shelter

A sturdy shelter needs to be provided. Donkeys do not like the rain and they need to have protection from the rain, snow and wind.

3: Food and water

In addition to grass, donkeys need grass hay. Alfalfa hay is too rich for donkeys and will make them fat which can cause a lot of health problems. An adult should be fed roughly a flake of hay in the morning and again in the evening. We have found that 1 ton of hay should adequately feed two minis during the winter months (October-April) If they have access to pasture grass, hay can be fed once a day. Grain is not a necessity but when we do decide to supplement (during times of pregnancy and lactation) we really like Super Supplement G. Access to clean water is essential.

4: Minerals

A salt block with selenium is something that miniature donkeys all need. They need to have access to this at all times. These last a long time! We have had ours for four years and we have ten donkeys that use it.

5: Hoof care

You will need to find someone called a farrier. This is someone who takes care of hooves. Miniature donkeys do not wear shoes like horses, but they do need to have their hooves trimmed every two months or so. We have found that their hooves need trimming more often during the summer months than during the winter.

6: De-worming and vaccinations

When we first got donkeys we dewormed them every three months but now we do it more on a as needed basis. Vets have found that too much deworming can lead to an immunity to the medication which makes it ineffective. Once a year, we vaccinate our donkeys with a five way shot.

That's it! These animals are such wonderful companions and really are quite easy to keep and care for. People just don't realize that these critters are an option! Maybe if you're considering getting some goats, think of the possibility of some miniature donkeys. You'll not regret it!