Make the change from dry food to grass slowly in the spring, to avoid health problems such as grass founder. Allow donkeys on pasture for thirty minutes per day at first then gradually increase the length of time each day, donkeys should be turned out after they have been fed dry feed. After a week, the donkey can stay on pasture all the time. Feed and Water Provide fortified trace mineralized salt in block or loose form in the pasture or by the shelter. These must be added to diets for donkeys, usually in the salt or mineral mix.
Fresh water is essential.
Donkeys are very particular about water being fresh and clean. High quality hay should be fed in winter or when pastures are depleted in the fall. Timothy, meadow grass, brome grass or mixed legume-grass hays are suitable. Hay composed of 50 per cent timothy and 50 per cent alfalfa is suitable for donkeys that, are growing, pregnant, nursing and during the coldest months of winter. When available, silage may be fed in small quantities with the balance of the feed to be made up of hay.