Managing an underweight donkey

[LovelyBay]

I just became the owner of two adorable standard donkeys. I’m so in love with them after just 4 days. I love their personalities and they are so dang cute! I’ve been reading everything I can about them, and have been in contact with a regional donkey rescue for advice on feeding. There seems to be a lot of conflicting information (just like with horses!) but I’d appreciate any positive feedback from COTHERS.

Winston, who is supposedly 28 yo, is very thin and I’m trying to safely put weight on him before winter. I live up in the mountains and it’s already in the 30s at night and I’m in the PNW so we get wet and windy weather. Both donks have access to free choice grass hay in a slow feeder, and a nice 24x12 shelter to get in out of the weather, and plenty of trees. They are sharing a 1/2 acre wooded pasture until the barn is finished and we get our new fencing up. Hopefully my barn will be done soon, and I’ll be able to stall Winston over night if needed. Jeb, the 4 yo spotted donkey, is a little thin, but I’m not really worried about putting weight on him now that he has access to 24/7 hay. He’s pretty beat up with lots of bite marks but nothing time won’t heal.

Yes, Winston will be getting his teeth checked this month, along with a check up, and we’ve started slowly with vet approved de-worming schedule. His previous owner said his teeth were just done in July, but they don’t look very good to me so I’ll have my vet look at them. I’m trying to get his vet records too. Per the donkey rescue, I’ve started him on soaked Safe Choice Senior twice a day with access to grass hay 24/7. They cautioned me not to give alfala, and most grains to donkeys.

I don’t generally blanket my horses because they are young, healthy, and have a lot of different options for shelter (trees, runs, and eventually a covered overhang off of the new barn). I’m wondering if blanketing Winston this year would be a good idea, or even just at night while his condition is improving. I know donkeys are hardy and would typically be fine without a blanket but I’m worried about this old guy with how thin he is. I want to make sure he is comfortable and dry this winter. His coat is very thin and sparse compared to his companion’s.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a blanket that would fit a donkey? I’m still getting used to their uniquely shaped topline. I haven’t measured him for a blanket yet, but he’s pretty long and not very tall (maybe around 50 inches? I’ll measure him before I order).

[ReSomething]

Congratulations! I have never had my own donkey, but I understand they are much more thrifty than horses so foods low in NSC’s. You have the long ears in your neighborhood who should stop by to give much better advice than I can, and I hope to enjoy vicariously!

[o0rxkxrox0o]

I have a standard gelding donkey. He’s about 48 inches (12 hands) at the withers and he tapes right at 450 lbs.

We found a fantastic sheet last year that fits him perfectly, it’s an Amigo, size 57. I’ve found that the size 57 liner from Schneider’s has been amazing for the couple of times he needed it last year.

I feed Blue Seal Sentinal Performance LS to my horse mare and Stoney gets a handful of that for flavor. With donkeys, you want to watch the protein and sugar, which is part of why they say no alfalfa. Blue Seal is 12% protein and 12% fat, where the Safe Choice is 14% protein and 8% fat. Not a huge difference but if I was trying to fatten him up a little I might top dress with Cool Calories.

[LovelyBay]

[QUOTE=o0rxkxrox0o;8313290]

I feed Blue Seal Sentinal Performance LS to my horse mare and Stoney gets a handful of that for flavor. With donkeys, you want to watch the protein and sugar, which is part of why they say no alfalfa. Blue Seal is 12% protein and 12% fat, where the Safe Choice is 14% protein and 8% fat. Not a huge difference but if I was trying to fatten him up a little I might top dress with Cool Calories.[/QUOTE]

Thanks! I’ll see if I can find an Amigo once I get his measured.
I live in a pretty rural area, and my one feed store doesn’t carry Blue Seal (I’ve never actually seen it at any feed store around here). They only reason they had Safe Choice Sr was because they special ordered it and someone never picked it up. Is there any other brand you would recommend that I can see if they can order for me? I think I can get most Purina, Nutrena, and some LMF feeds. I have a coupon for Weight Builder, but I wasn’t sure if I could use any of the weight building supplements safely, or if I could top dress with a little oil instead. The excess protein and sugars were addressed, but no one mentioned extra fat.

I have a lot of learning left to do! But hopefully soon I’ll be managing the opposite end of weight spectrum.

[Foxtrot_s]

“Managing the opposite end of the spectrum” - once he gets close to the weight you think he should be, you should really start watching him. Donkeys evolved on very sparse pastures and survive on very little in the way of nutrition. Up here the pastures are so rich they can become overweight very fast, get ‘cellulose’ on their necks and rumps which eventually gets so large the crest starts to fall over, like an old camel.

Lucky donkeys.

[PeteyPie]

You know, you have violated the forum rules with this thread. I may report you.

It is not permissible to post detailed descriptions of adorable donkeys without posting photo links.

[SMF11]

I second the blanketing/sheeting advice (that is, I’d do it). I blanket anyone who’s more fragile, and an older, skinny donkey would fit into that category. Keep in mind that donkeys are desert animals, and so do less well in the cold and wet than horses.

I have an approx. 30 year old donkey.

[LovelyBay]

[QUOTE=Foxtrot’s;8313734]
“Managing the opposite end of the spectrum” - once he gets close to the weight you think he should be, you should really start watching him. Donkeys evolved on very sparse pastures and survive on very little in the way of nutrition. Up here the pastures are so rich they can become overweight very fast, get ‘cellulose’ on their necks and rumps which eventually gets so large the crest starts to fall over, like an old camel.

Lucky donkeys.[/QUOTE]

Oh don’t worry! I’m good at managing fatties. I have a Fatlinger, a Fatlinger Spotted Draft Cross, and a QH! I have nice dry lots under in my pine forest I need to find some good filler type hay for these guys. They are already very proficient with their 2 inch slow feeder, and I will get them a 1 inch.

I’ll have to see if I can upload pictures to photobucket and share the link. I’m not very good at that stuff.

I can’t believe how sweet they are. I heard one of them bray for the first time morning. I’m so glad we are in a position to have them. My husband is such a good sport. Why didn’t we get donkeys sooner!?

The 4 yo was just shipped up here from Texas, so I"m not sure if this will be his first winter here or not. I swear he already looks plumper in the few days we’ve had him. The 28 yo has lived here his whole life, he was born less than a mile from our place. I actually tracked down his breeder, and she sent me picture of him from his younger days.

[Texarkana]

My 3 year old standard donkey grows a ridiculously long yak coat, but she still seems to benefit from blanketing. She’s really sensitive to the wind and wet. She has a turnout sheet and medium weight blanket from Schneiders- I think they are either 58" or 60" in size. They really have the best selection and the best prices when it comes to blankets for the little ones!

And welcome to the world of donkey ownership! They are the best!

[LovelyBay]

Let’s try this. …

http://i1329.photobucket.com/albums/w545/debbylove84/20150909_174143_zpspz0ljebg.jpg

[PeteyPie]

Beautiful!