disbudding age

[pygmybabies]

I know this has been discussed, but i want to ask again. I guess we hadnt really talked about doing this or not.
Our Nubian and our 2 nubian/alpines are disbudded and were when we got them everyone else is not. All babies so far are girls.

2 nubian/alpine/pygmy/nigerian (5 days)

1 mini saanen (2 weeks 1 day)

1 nubian/pygmy (kINder like) (6 days)

When do you disbud, I can not feel any horns so far on any of them, when do you feel them?

Thanks

[praieri winds]

you are supposed to do it when the kids are a couple weeks old so you can feel where the buds are ie. no buds no horns no need to dehorn personnaly I don't like doing it because it is so traumatic for the kids but understand sometimes it needs to be done still don't like it tho

[pygmybabies]

So do you think that if I cant feel them by now they are not going to have horns? Would that be strange for these breeds?

[Alice In TX/MO]

Shave the tops of their heads and look for little bumps.

[Alice In TX/MO]

It is NOT traumatic to disbud. They holler from being restrained, and they holler for the 15 seconds that you are disbudding. THen they are FINE!

What is traumatic is the damage to other goats from horned goats.

[pookshollow]

Normally, you can feel horn buds by the time they're a week old, but not always. Phoenyx, the little Nigie in my avatar, didn't have any hornbuds until she was six weeks old! Took forever for them to heal up after disbudding too. That's the weirdest one I've come across - thought I had a genetic anomaly on my hands, a polled goat out of two horned parents.

[LoneStrChic23]

I would shave their heads and look for the lil bumps. Are you planing on keeping all them?

If I would have took the time to disbud my mini alpine bucklings in December, I could have had both of them sold, but the buyers aren't interested in horned goats......no huge biggey since they were freezer camp bound anyways, but the cash would have been nice.

I posted my CL ad for soaking wet bucklings, and the first question asked by several who emailed was if they would have horns or not....none wanted horns....

So, I would shave the babies head, watch closely for those tiny bumps and disbud ASAP. Sooner it's done and over, the better... Then if you ever need to sell any perhaps they will be more attractive to potential buyers, I know for me, the goat can be amazing, but horns are a deal breaker.....

[pygmybabies]

Ok thats what i will do then. It will be a first for me, but so are goats, goats kidding. etc etc.
I like the way their mamas look anyways without horns.

Alice I did do a search and found where you had recommended fiaso farm...I went there, dont know why I didnt think of that first....I just come here first

[Alice In TX/MO]

We are all here to help!

Disbudding took me four years to be able to do it without MY heart pounding.

I finally just drew blood last Sunday for the first time.

Next is doing my own fecal testing.

[pookshollow]

Be warned. They will scream just as loudly about having their heads shaved as they will about having their horn buds burned off.

[Creamers]

Be warned. They will scream just as loudly about having their heads shaved as they will about having their horn buds burned off.

Yes, they do!

[KimM]

I do bucks at 5-7 days old now. I feel for a firm bump that sort of comes to a point. If you wait until the horn starts to break the skin, then the horn base is going to be bigger than the iron tip and you'll get scurs springing up along the sides. Same with doelings but they usually reach that point about 10-15 days old. (Nigerians) Nice you have all girls!
Polled bumps are rounded feeling, you can tell the difference.

Gee, I must have weird goats. Mine don't scream from being restrained or from having their heads shaved, they pretty much just sit there in my arms until I'm done prepping them. They don't start screaming, thrashing, and panting until they actually get disbudded, like when the 1,100° iron is put onto their head and held there for 7 seconds.