I thought about taking photos but the burning itself requires two of us. Well, it doesn't really. I have done neighbor's goats alone I am a wimp when it comes to my own kids. I got as far as shaving Chloe's head and renigged and asked my husband to come help.
I've used a Rhinehart x40 before but I have been happier with the Rhinehart x50. It requires so much less burning time = less of all the unfun stuff mainly because it gets so much hotter.
This year we did it a bit earlier than I have done. The girls were 7 days old yesterday and their nubs were like "hard pimples" as someone explained it. I am hoping this gives us a better burn without the growth that can happen (called scurs) if you don't get a good burn or wait too long before you disbud, etc. I don't want to have to go back and reburn any spots, that's never fun. These kids can't and won't have scurs if I can help it. I won't be here in town today to do it and last year I did the neighbor's doe kid whom I thought may have been a little young but turns out she had the best head of the bunch!
All in all it went well. If you're reading this and have never don it but plan to and are apprehensive, it gets easier. That probably sounds sick and twisted and of no consolation when it's your first, or your second, or third :o). But in all truthfulness, even my animal loving daughter who hates to see anything hurt or suffering or butchered knows it's for the best. She won't watch, but she also doesn't try to hide my iron either. My best advice, once you've committed, DON'T TURN BACK ESPECIALLY if you're just about to do the deed by putting hot iron to head and especially not once the iron is on the head. No point in getting a crappy burn once you're at the fiery altar since you've already burnt the kid anyway by walking away and saying you can't do it. You can do it! Take it from me, the wimp who was thrown arm first into a laboring doe, burnt my first kid days after I bought him, milked ill mannered never been touched before there by a human murder in her eyes doe ALL in my first year.
Best to just not think about the poor kid otherwise you may not be able to go through with it. They'll survive and if you're reading this after reading about 100 other sites giving you a pep talk, I promise they will not think ill of you after about 2 minutes, they will not hold it against you for the rest of their lives, more than likely they will be fine, and they will be jumping and playing within minutes no worse for the wear.
Another word of advice, shave their head around those nubs first. It's bad enough you're getting a face full of burnt skin, to have the added pleasure of burnt hair smoke is just not pleasant. Plus too, you can see the nubs easier.
When you go to place the hot iron to head, besides being committed (!), the iron will sort of "fall" right into place on the head around the horn buds if you're worried about positioning it just so. I also advise not to wait too late to do this! I have waited too long and ended up burning the poor kid and he still got horns!
I place a towel on the ground both for me to place my knees on and a place for the kid. I tuck said kids legs underneath kid and then place kid between my legs. Course, if you have a holding box this is a one person job but this works fine for us and a friend of mine does this alone in this position only she has the kids head against the top of her thigh. I don't think I could trust myself not to brush something with the fiery hot iron. I'm kinda bad with hot things. If I do it along (on other people's kids) I position them the same I am just holding them with one hand and holding the iron with the other.
Anyway, the kids head is put down chin to the towel. I wear leather gloves. Between my index fingers and thumbs, they form a diamond pattern over the kids head at the crown making the buds visible with space in between for safety from the iron. I recommend LEATHER gloves, I have been touched by the iron before and thankfully my glove was the only thing burnt. Hey, maybe an "Ove glove" would work :o). I use thumbs on the top of the head behind the buds at the back of the kid's skull and my other fingers are holding the kids nose down. Use enough pressure that the kid cannot move but not so much you suffocate them. As it is my fingers are off of its nose. The same holds true for the leg straddle, enough pressure to hold them tight, not too much they cannot breath. MAKE SURE you have a good hold before you start swinging the iron around, please.
My husband and I do a 4 count with the X50 and normally get a copper ring every time. YOU DO NOT WANT TO PRESS INTO the kids head. Just set it on there and the pressure from the weight of the iron itself is all you need. We turn our iron for the 4 count, some people rock it but that means the iron is coming off of the skull in some places and that just doesn't give you a consistent burn. There are times if the iron isn't at the perfect angle that you get a spot that didn't get it long enough, if we don't feel we got a good enough ring we'll go back to that/those spot(s) and do just a 2 second. If you're the holder, you're the counter too. Well, I mean, you don't have to be but it works well this way. As long as you trust your partner, the burner, this usually works out well. The holder doesn't have to look until the iron is off but the holder DOES have to be a good counter (if that's the holder's job that is). Nothing sucks more than to have a counter who A. doesn't count (forgetting their job and wrenching their face on top of it.) or B. counts 1,2,3,4 so quickly that in real time it was really only a nano-second. Again, no point in doing this unless you are going to do it right. If you need to, do a 1 one thousand 2 one thousand, etc. Don't rush.
Pull the iron off, KEEP THE KID RESTRAINED and look at it. Yes, the kid may be screaming, yes the kid wants up and away from you horrible people but keep it down. If the ring looks good, copper all the way around, let up on the kids head and let him/her catch her breath. Talk gently to it assuring him/her that it's okay, assuring them you're not really wicked all the time, etc.
If the copper ring is not all the way around, go at it again for another 2 count in that/those spot(s). If you're using another iron, you'll have to adjust times. More than likely for longer.
I do not spray anything on them, I do not use a cold pack, nothing. The wound is clean and cauterized. We don't wait long before the burn on the other side repeating everything. If all looks good, I send them back to mama and they nurse for a bit to feel better and then they are jumping and gitty and back to their old selves. All in all, providing you get in there and just do it, it takes less than a minute from taking them from the dam, shaving their crowns, situating, burning, inspecting and sending them on their way.
I will check in a couple weeks to see if any growth is happening and go back and reburn. Sick I know, but if you've never seen/dealt with a goat with horrible scurs you're lucky.
Viola, how to
Amanda
I disbudded kids too late, and they grew horns. Small ones albeit but horns. I also used the method of sitting over them with the head against my thigh, but I feared for my own leg! I would prefer the box for sure if I had to do it alone again. I happened to have a pair of welding gloves available and used these, that will give one some confidence about burning! I knew my hands were safe, but not my poor thighs... This is a great post on disbudding, great guidance.
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