Donkeys
Stable space, grazing land, a straw-based diet, company and the guides behind the numbers — everything for keeping a pair of donkeys.
Who this is for. These tools are for people thinking about keeping a pair of donkeys at home, as companions rather than working animals.
Need a vet that sees donkeys?
Most vets only treat dogs and cats. Our directory lists clinics whose own websites say they treat donkeys, across the UK and the US.
Donkeys at a glance
The headline figures, each traced to its source on the page it links to. Starting points for planning, not a substitute for the calculators.
- Stable space
- About 4.7m² (50 sq ft) per donkey
- Covered bedded area for a standard-sized donkey, from The Donkey Sanctuary — about 9.4m² (100 sq ft) for a pair.
- How much space a donkey needs →
- Land
- At least 0.5 acre (2,000m²) per donkey
- Grazing and/or exercise area, from The Donkey Sanctuary. Grazing usually needs restricting, as donkeys put on weight easily.
- How much land a donkey needs →
- Company
- Keep at least two
- Donkeys form close bonds and The Donkey Sanctuary normally rehomes them in pairs.
- Do donkeys need a companion? →
- Feed
- About 1.5% of bodyweight a day, mostly straw
- Roughly 2–3kg of fibre a day for an average donkey; 50–75% of it barley straw (The Donkey Sanctuary).
- What donkeys eat →
- Running cost
- At least £4,000 a year for a pair (UK)
- The Donkey Sanctuary's estimate for healthy donkeys, before treatment for any illness.
- What a donkey costs to keep →
Planning to keep donkeys? Work through it in order
5 steps, each a couple of minutes — click a step to open it.
01Plan for a pair+−
Donkeys form close bonds and are normally rehomed in pairs, and a horse isn't a substitute companion.
Do donkeys need a companion? →02Check your land and shelter+−
About an acre for a pair, plus a shelter with a roof and three solid sides they can reach at all times.
How much land a donkey needs →03Work out stable space and land+−
The donkey calculator gives stable space and grazing land for the number of donkeys you'll keep.
Donkey stable calculator →04Get the diet right+−
Mostly barley straw, restricted grass and no cereal feeds — donkeys aren't small horses.
What donkeys eat →05Budget for the farrier, vet and straw+−
Hoof trims every 6–10 weeks, annual vaccinations and dental checks, and around 100 bales of straw per donkey a year.
What a donkey costs to keep →
Calculators and tools
These cover all nine species — following a link opens them with donkeys already selected.
- Plan My Setup
Housing, outdoor land, bedding, feed and running cost together in one place, for a species and headcount.
- Feed Cost Calculator
Estimate daily, weekly and monthly feed cost from a headcount and your local feed price.
- Water Calculator
How much water your animals drink a day and a week, from the published figure for each species.
- Bedding Calculator
How much bedding to start with, based on your floor area and species.
- Cost of Keeping Calculator
Feed, vet allowance and other ongoing costs, by species — a weekly, monthly and yearly running-cost estimate.
- How Much Land Do I Need?
Indoor housing plus outdoor paddock or run space combined — the total footprint, not just the pen size.
- Breeding & Hatching Due-Date Calculator
Enter a mating or egg-set date and get an expected due/hatch date, by species.
- How Much Hay Do I Need?
Daily hay and a winter total for goats, sheep and horses, with a waste allowance and bale count.
- Compare Animals
Which backyard animal needs the most space, land or vet budget — a side-by-side comparison of all nine species.
- Sources & Methodology
Every figure behind every species' housing calculator, traced to its source, what it applies to and when it was last checked.
Donkeys guides
- How Much Land Does a Donkey Need?
Half an acre per donkey and about an acre for a pair, from donkey welfare guidance, plus why donkeys need their grazing restricted.
- Do Donkeys Need a Companion?
Why donkeys are rehomed in pairs, why a horse isn't the right companion, and the health risk when a donkey loses its friend.
- What Do Donkeys Eat? How Much and Why Mostly Straw
Donkeys need about 1.5% of bodyweight a day in dry food, mostly barley straw. How much to feed, what to avoid and why weight matters.
- How Much Does It Cost to Keep a Donkey?
What keeping a pair of donkeys costs each year, item by item: straw, farrier, vet, dental checks and setup, from a welfare charity.
Common questions about donkeys
- How much land do two donkeys need?
- About an acre. The Donkey Sanctuary recommends at least 0.5 acre (2,000m²) of safe grazing or exercise area for each donkey.
- Can a donkey live on its own?
- The Donkey Sanctuary normally rehomes donkeys in pairs or small groups because they form close bonds, and doesn't provide donkeys as companions for horses or ponies.
- What do donkeys eat?
- Mostly barley straw — 75% in summer and 50% in winter for a donkey without dental problems — with the rest from hay, haylage or restricted grazing, about 1.5% of bodyweight a day in all (The Donkey Sanctuary).
- How long do donkeys live?
- More than 30 years when well cared for, according to the MSD Veterinary Manual — so keeping donkeys is a long commitment.
Want to see what keeping donkeys is actually like?
Try My Backyard — a simple interactive simulation. Adopt one, feed it, play with it, keep its bedding clean, and see how it gets on.
Play My Backyard →