Help me build a donkey scratcher - yes really

[Ray Singh]

I love donkeys. They are just the cutest animal ever and i can probably relate as they look so miserable all of the time.



For my birthday last Sunday, my wife and kids took me to the Island Donkey Sanctuary in Wallingford, Oxford.

The donkeys were kept in a dry and covered location, but had nothing to do! I asked why and it is because the fields are too wet. I felt sorry for the donkeys with nothing to do all day, so have asked if i can help with trying to help.

Can anyone help me with Donkey toys?

I also want to try and build a donkey scratcher.... I was thinking of a oil drum with some stiff bristle sweeping brushes mounted on the sides. If the oil drum is filled with concrete, this will weight it down. For the larger equine beast, an fence post mounted in the concrete with further brushes mounted here.

If anyone is interested, i would love to hear your ideas. If anyone has any spare clean drums or brushes, they would be welcomed.

The donkeys are thankful!

[Morris63]

Neat idea!

You could try contacting the cow-scratcher folks in this video to see if they have worn down brushes you could have?

Edit to add their website: finneasy.com/en/

[Ray Singh]

Thanks Morris63 - this is a great idea. I will contact them now....

[georgeb]

Mar 4, 2020 18:03:19 GMT Morris63 said:

Neat idea!

You could try contacting the cow-scratcher folks in this video to see if they have worn down brushes you could have?

Edit to add their website: finneasy.com/en/

Really enjoyed that video. Thanks for sharing!

[braaap]

How about some sort of tunnel with stiff-bristled brooms at the walls, the kind you use for exterior floor cleaning.

Once the donkey learns to walk through it and get a nice rub, it should be a pleasure for them to use it. I think I have seen something for cows once on the telly.

Made a little sketch:




Or if you use some wooden beams crossed, with something like garage swing door springs it can be used for different sizes of donkeys, as they need to push against the wood beams to fit.

[Ray Singh]

Fantastic sketches and design... I love it!

[georgeb]

Mar 7, 2020 7:42:37 GMT braaap said:

Sure that's not a grill?

[Morris63]

Mar 7, 2020 2:21:36 GMT georgeb said:

Mar 4, 2020 18:03:19 GMT Morris63 said:

Neat idea!

You could try contacting the cow-scratcher folks in this video to see if they have worn down brushes you could have?

Edit to add their website: finneasy.com/en/

Really enjoyed that video. Thanks for sharing!

After all the stuff you've shared with us I'll take that as a grand compliment.

I've now got visions of you knocking one up for the dogs, using a stub axle, spare wheel off a jeepney, and some household scrubbing brushes!