The best donkey diet is mostly low-sugar grass hay, with a ration balancer or a donkey-specific feed only if your vet or an equine nutritionist says yours needs one. Tractor Supply sells hay, forage products and equine feeds, but donkeys do not need rich horse feed. They are desert animals built for sparse, fibrous forage, and too much sugar or starch can lead to obesity and laminitis.
How much should a donkey eat?
Most donkeys do well on roughly 1.5 percent of their body weight in dry forage a day. A 400-pound donkey would eat about 6 pounds of hay. Overweight donkeys may need less and fat-prone animals are often given hay in slow feeders. Ask your vet to help you body-score your animal.
What to buy at the feed store
- Grass hay or straw-based forage. Mature grass hay (timothy, orchardgrass or similar) is a good base. Avoid rich alfalfa as a daily staple for most adult donkeys.
- Barley straw. Many donkey owners use it to bulk up the diet without adding calories.
- Chaff. Chopped forage can be useful if it is low in sugar. Check the label, because some contain molasses.
- Ration balancer. A small daily serving can supply minerals and vitamins without many calories.
- Salt and minerals. Offer plain salt and a mineral block made for equines.
See also our guides to Purina donkey feed, mini donkey feed and beet pulp for donkeys.
What to avoid
- Sweet feeds and high-sugar treats.
- Lush spring pasture without limits, which is a common trigger for laminitis.
- Moldy or dusty hay, which can cause colic and breathing trouble.
- Sudden diet changes. Introduce anything new over about two weeks.
Water
Donkeys need constant access to clean water. In winter, offer water that is not frozen, since donkeys often drink less when it is icy cold, which raises colic risk.
Bottom Line
Start with good grass hay, weigh it out, and add a balancer only if needed. Tractor Supply and similar stores carry what you need, but less is often more with donkeys.
Check with your vet about your donkey’s weight, hooves and any supplements, and about vaccinations and deworming.
