Minecraft wiki entry for Donkey, associated text: Feeding a donkey food may alter its behavior and cause it to grow (if it is not yet an adult; foals normally take 20 minutes to fully mature if not fed), and restore its health. To feed a donkey, hold a valid food item and press use while looking at it. If the food is invalid, the action is treated as an attempt to mount the donkey. Donkeys can be fed only when feeding would have an effect, similar to other animals. The table below lists the effects of the various foods donkeys can consume.