Disbudding/Dehorning Kids

Having kids around is so much fun. Our kids are about two weeks old. Their little horns are starting to pop up, so we decided this would be a good time to disbud them. Why would we do this?! Well, those little horns grow to big horns and can cause trouble for them. I think goat horns are beautiful; however, on a family farm they can be hurtful instead of helpful. For one, they can get them stuck in holes, feeders, between fences, or someplace else undesirable. Also, they can harm each other or possibly the children. 

To be safe, we decided it would be best to remove them. (A couple of our Shetland sheep have horns. They have not been much of a problem, but I fear that they may get them stuck. We've sold some of our Shetlands in the past, and most people prefer them hornless or dehorned.)

Friends of ours allowed us to borrow their dehorner. This little tool gets extremely hot. I wore gloves after using it on the first kid. The hotter the better. 

I stuck it in a pot to keep it from accidently burning something besides horns.

I watched a couple YouTube videos to make sure I was prepared for this adventure. It was an easy process, but unnerving all the same. First in line, was our little buckling. 

Before using the iron, I tested it out on a piece of wood. 

The children held the little guy very still while I put the iron over the horns. I held it on the horn for 15 seconds turning back and forth to make sure the entire horn was burned. 

After I removed the iron, I picked off the burnt portion of the horn, then reapplied the iron for a few more seconds. That will keep the horn from growing back.



The two doelings were next.

Once finished, they got some milk and were returned to their mamas. After a few days, the bone and fur will grow over the patch and they will heal nicely. It was not a fun process.  It was hard for Hannah to hold the kids while we disbudded them. But, it was a needed learning process; and, I think we can handle doing it again.