Feeding and bedding donkeys the way they actually need it

Our donkeys are some of the most quietly beloved members of WhyNot Farm. They keep watch over the cashmere goats, calm the alpacas during stormy nights and give every visiting family a reason to linger along the pasture fence. People who stop by often ask the same two questions: what do the donkeys eat, and how much bedding do they really need to stay healthy? The longer answers matter most, because donkeys have very specific needs that differ from horses, ponies and mules.

This guide pulls together what we feed our own jennies and jacks, how we calculate bedding for the shelters, and how we keep them comfortable through every season. Whether you keep one donkey on a small block outside Ballarat or a small herd in the Yarra Valley, the same basics apply. It draws on veterinary advice, decades of small-farm experience and the practical realities of stretching every bale and bag carefully.

Why donkeys are not just small horses with longer ears

Donkeys evolved in the rocky semi-arid landscapes of North Africa and the Near East, where they survived on coarse grasses, woody browse and whatever moisture they could squeeze from dew and desert plants. That ancestry shaped a digestive system that is highly efficient at pulling nutrition from low-grade fibre. Unlike horses, donkeys do not thrive on lush pasture or rich, leafy hay. Their metabolism is geared toward rough, stemmy forage, and their tolerance for sugars and starches is comparatively low.

A diet that is too rich leads to weight gain, founder, insulin resistance and hyperlipaemia, where fat breaks down too quickly in the bloodstream. The RSPCA Australia welfare standards for equines echo this point, noting that donkeys should be managed more like their wild cousins than like a Thoroughbred in full work. Body condition scoring, where you run your hand along the ribs, becomes a more reliable guide than any fixed feeding chart.

We learned this when one of our younger jacks arrived a little too round. We cut his grain, switched him to a slower-growing section of pasture and added more walking time along the fence line. Within a few months he dropped to a healthier score and his hooves firmed up. The lesson stayed with us: when in doubt, feed less and let the forage do the work.

Building the daily ration around forage

A working donkey's diet should be at least seventy-five percent forage by weight, which works out to roughly three to five kilograms of fibrous feed per day for an average adult donkey standing around ten hands, depending on body condition and season. We base our ration on grassy hay rather than legume hay, because lucerne and clover are simply too rich for most donkeys. Oaten hay, which is widely available through produce stores in regional New South Wales and South Australia, is our go-to choice. It is stemmy, low in sugar and reasonably priced even when seasons turn dry.

Pasture access is wonderful when managed carefully. We rotate our donkeys through smaller paddocks so they do not graze the same patch down to bare soil, and we mow behind them to keep weeds from going to seed. In the cooler months, when grass growth slows across parts of Victoria and Tasmania, we offer a slow-feeding hay net inside the shelter. The small holes force the donkey to eat more slowly, which mimics natural browsing and keeps the gut working steadily.

Clean water deserves just as much attention as the hay itself. A donkey can drink between eight and twenty litres a day, depending on the weather and workload. We check troughs twice a day in summer and break ice off buckets in the rare cold snaps. Adding a small amount of apple cider vinegar to the water helps discourage algae and keeps troughs cleaner through long humid stretches. Salt should always be available, either as a plain block in the shelter or as a loose mineral mix added to a feed pan.

Supplements, treats and foods to keep well away

Most healthy donkeys on a forage-based diet need very little supplementation. A vitamin and mineral balancer designed for equines on low-grain diets covers the gaps in hay and pasture, and a plain salt block handles sodium. We avoid the flavoured mineral blocks sold for horses, because added sweeteners encourage donkeys to chew them like candy and take in far more salt than they need.

Treats are wonderful training tools, but they should be tiny and infrequent. A slice of carrot, a small apple chunk or a few dried hay pellets make perfect rewards. Anything sugary, anything with chocolate and anything mouldy should be kept out of reach. Lawn clippings are particularly dangerous, because they ferment quickly and can trigger colic. Foods we keep well away from the barn include bread and baked goods, avocado, onion, large amounts of garlic, tomato leaves and dog or cat kibble, which is far too rich in protein and fat for an animal built on roughage.

A short list of safe, occasional treats we use on the farm:

• A thin slice of carrot or apple, no more than a tablespoon at a time
• A handful of dried hay pellets made for low-sugar diets
• Fresh mint or parsley from the herb garden, picked clean of chemicals
• A few rosehips or a single date cut into small pieces

How much bedding a donkey really uses

Bedding serves three jobs at once. It cushions the joints, absorbs urine and manure, and gives the donkey a warm, dry surface to lie on. The amount needed depends on the size of the animal, the type of bedding, the shelter design and how often you muck out. As a starting point, plan on roughly two to four kilograms of bedding material per square metre of shelter floor for the initial deep bed, then top it up by about half a kilogram each day after cleaning.

Our donkeys spend their days in pasture and only come into the barn during the worst weather or for short handling sessions. For their run-in shelter, we lay down a thick initial bed of about five to seven centimetres, then refresh the wet spots every morning with a fork and a fresh scatter of bedding on top. Soiled material goes straight onto the compost pile, where it breaks down beautifully alongside manure from the cattle and pigs.

A simple guide we use when setting up a new shelter or restocking bedding:

• A small shelter of nine square metres needs roughly twenty kilograms of bedding for an initial deep bed
• A medium barn of twenty square metres needs closer to fifty kilograms at setup
• Top up with five to ten kilograms each week for a single donkey, double it for a pair
• Plan on a full strip-out and replacement every four to eight weeks

Picking a bedding that suits hot, dry summers

The right bedding material is one that stays dry, controls odour and produces minimal dust. Straw from oats or barley is the classic choice and is readily available through rural suppliers in towns from Warrnambool up through the Hunter Valley. It is comfortable, absorbs well and composts quickly. The downside is that some donkeys decide straw is a snack, which adds unwanted calories and can lead to mild impactions if the straw is poor quality. Barley straw is lower in feed value than oaten straw and is generally safer for greedy donkeys.

Wood shavings and wood pellets are popular because they absorb urine into a manageable clump that is easy to fork out. Dust-extracted pine shavings are usually safe, though we avoid black walnut shavings entirely, as they are toxic to equines and can trigger laminitis even in small amounts. Sand is sometimes suggested for dry climates, but it is hard to keep clean, can be ingested accidentally and tends to track out into the paddock, where it can damage pasture.

Climate matters as much as the material. In the humid coastal stretch around Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast, mould can become a real problem in poorly ventilated shelters, so we lean toward materials that dry quickly. In drier inland regions, dust becomes the bigger concern, and dust-extracted shavings or a light water spray before spreading can make a noticeable difference to respiratory health.

Daily routines that keep donkeys thriving

Consistent daily care does more for donkey welfare than any premium supplement or bedding brand. We do a quick walk-through every morning before the rest of the farm work begins. We look at the eyes, check for discharge, watch the donkey move a few strides to spot any lameness, and run our hands down the legs for heat or swelling. A quick feel along the ribs confirms that body condition has not changed since the previous week.

Hoof care is non-negotiable. Donkeys kept on softer pasture need trimming every six to ten weeks, because their hooves do not wear down the way they would on rocky ground. We work with a farrier who knows the breed and adjusts the trim to support the slightly more upright donkey hoof shape. Dental checks happen once a year with an equine dentist, who floats any sharp points that would otherwise make chewing uncomfortable. Companion animals are part of the routine too, because donkeys kept alone often develop behavioural problems and stress-related ulcers.

Seasonal shifts call for small adjustments. In the heat of a Tennessee summer, which mirrors the warm stretches around Cairns or Rockhampton, we offer extra shade, midday showers and electrolyte-laced water. In the cooler months, we increase hay slightly because the fermentation of fibre in the hindgut generates internal warmth. Watching the forecast a day ahead keeps everyone more comfortable.

Come visit WhyNot Farm to meet the donkeys in person and see how a simple, forage-led diet and a well-managed bed keep them healthy and happy. Our family is happy to walk you through the barn, talk about what works on our patch of Tennessee ground and share ideas that translate to small properties anywhere. Tours can be scheduled through our website, and we always keep a few carrots ready for the donkeys that have earned their keep.