Happy Home for Donkeys
David Shepherd
CBE OBE FRSA FGRA
Happy Home For Donkeys.
Signed Limited Edition
Published 1995
Image Size 9" x 15"
Like many animals, donkeys are happiest with ample safe outdoor space to roam and graze on, as well as an indoor shelter to keep them out of the elements when necessary,
though what their living space ends up exactly looking like could vary quite a bit depending on your resources and geography!
Ideally, the outdoor space should consist of donkey-safe grazing pasture, and you should have at least half an acre of land per donkey,
with a little more or less needed depending on the quality of pasture, season, and whether you’re primarily feeding them with straw (barley straw is ideal!),
supplemented with hay or if they’re getting all their food by grazing (This may be too much and you may have to limit their time on particularly lush pastures).
Donkeys with dental issues are able to better ingest chop (Chop is forage that has been chopped small.
It is available commercially but can be prepared by caregivers as well.) instead of straight straw and hay.
It is also an option for donkeys with respiratory illnesses. If a donkey’s pasture is consistently muddy, make sure to provide ample space for the donkeys to keep their feet dry.
Chronically dirty feet can lead to foot infections.
You should also have a shady area in their outdoor enclosure that they can access on the hotter days of the year, and a place for them to escape the rain as they have much less natural waterproofing than other animals.