# Disbudding/dehorning kids?



## SophieGoat (Mar 3, 2017)

I will be getting two doelings at the end of the month, but I was sitting here thinking about them and I realized they will be too old to disbud by the time I get them home(they will be about 6-8 weeks old by then, I will bottle feed them for an additional 6 weeks and yes they are currently bottle babies so I won't have to worry about them taking the bottle) I'm getting them from a friend and she keeps horns on all her goats so having them done before I get them isn't an option. 

Can I use a horn gouge on them like I can with our calves or will I need a vet to dehorn them? I hate using the gouge but I don't want the risk of horns. I also really don't want to chance scurs if possible but I'm not really sure what causes a scur.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

You can band them. Here is a good link:

http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/tutorial-surgically-banding-horns-177793/


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## SophieGoat (Mar 3, 2017)

Oh wow, brilliant! Thank you!


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

I disbud all my doelings but let my buckling keep them unless someone asks for them to be disbuded. That's the worst thing I think when it comes to kidding!


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

^^Curious, why don't you do the bucklings?


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Can you go to where the kids are and disbud them before they get too old?


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

Goats Rock said:


> Can you go to where the kids are and disbud them before they get too old?


This is what I was thinking, too. The kids would be about 3 weeks old or so right now? There is a much larger window of opportunity to properly disbud doelings than there is for bucklings. Some of my doelings last year weren't really showing horn buds at all until around 1 or 2 weeks old or so.


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## SophieGoat (Mar 3, 2017)

I didn't realize you had that long to disbud, I had read somewhere(can't remember where at the moment, it was a disbudding tutorial) that they needed to be done by 10 days old, which of course they are already past. 

I could go to disbud them before getting them but they are an hour and a half away and I'm just not sure when I'll have time to make the trip other than the pick up day.

And of course just about an hour ago I learned that as of 2018 Boers without horns will be DQ at ABGA shows, so now I'm a bit at a crossroads.. I don't like horns, but at the same time I do have aspirations to show. Decisions, decisions. I think I will allow them to keep their horns and if they become a problem then I will band them and they will just be breeding stock only.


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> ^^Curious, why don't you do the bucklings?


So people can handle them better if need be. If they ask in advance then I will other wise I don't. All genders of my Nubians get disbudded but none of my Kikos do. The cross breeds are the ones I only disbud the doelings. And I've waited till one of mine was 4 weeks old and she hasn't showed signs of horn growth.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I just disbudded my 2 week old doelings. So long as the bud fits in the disbudding tip, you can still do it.


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## CEigenman (Dec 31, 2016)

Suzanne_Tyler said:


> I just disbudded my 2 week old doelings. So long as the bud fits in the disbudding tip, you can still do it.


I was taught that if you waited longer than 3-5 days, that your chances of having them grow scurs goes wayyyy up. I'm not criticizing your response at all, I'm genuinely curious as to weather you've had issues with scurs or not waiting that long to disbud? Thanks


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Well, these kids had no horn buds presenting at 5 days old. That was actually my first time disbudding.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

Most of the time you want to disbud early, but not always. Some of my 3 to 5 day old doelings last year I couldn't feel a horn bud at all to even know where to disbud! Also, with doelings, I think you have more of an opportunity - 3 weeks old is probably not ideal, but I'd say it's still likely very doable if you have the right sized disbudding tip.


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## Kupla (Aug 1, 2014)

I have a five week old doe kid whose horn buds just broke through the skin, I'm hoping the vet's disbudding iron comes in soon so I can get them taken care of.


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