Urgent sheep issue

[Farmflock123]

Hi my name is Charlie I have 3 baby sheep who are going through there teen phases at the same time as me. My soft loving sheep tiny tiny Tim has never done anything to hurt anyone. He is so quiet and scared of everything. He is the only one of my 3 sheep to have horns. Sadly one of his horns broke off in the mid summer then suddenly I noticed he won’t put his head up anymore. His horn is growing into the back of his head. I can tell how much pain he is in. Please help me. What do I do?

 

[SageHill]

Not sure what you can do, perhaps someone else here has an idea. Only thing I can think of is call a vet.

 

[Farmflock123]

Ok thank you

 

[secuono]

OB wire and cut the last 1-2in of the horn. Gives you time until you figure out how to band a horn or get money to vet dehorn him.
If they aren't castrated, expect violence from them.

 

[Mini Horses]

Post a good picture please. We're assuming the growing horn is curving back into his head. Yes some portion can be cut off...it will continue to grow until adulthood.....so more trimming. @secuno is right, can be done. I've trimmed with sharp tree trimming hand sheers. There are blood vessels in center so you won't cut deep, meaning short.

He sounds tame and calm, so I don't see a great deal of resistance, most likely. It's not painful as the horn material has few nerves. I've trimmed & filed several horn ends for safety as they were sharp. But do get to it right away as it can cause a sore or cut into his skin.

 

[farmerjan]

Welcome to the forum. Please go to your name top right, down to account details, down to location, and put in something like the state or the area of the state... it will appear in your avatar everytime you post and might help to get someone that is close to be able to help you... at least to help us to advise on things like feed, pasture or other things.
Yes you can get the tips cut back... like @secuono said... it will buy you time to figure out a more permanent solution.
They can be banded at the base of the horn at the skull.... depending on the size of them... if they are still lambs, the little green "cheerios bands" that are used for castration can be used... but it should be done by someone that is more experienced... Otherwise, he could be dehorned (with a dehorning tool that will make them bleed but then that should be it).... too. If you have sheep friends there, there must be someone that can help you out... but at least get the tip cut back so it is not growing into the head.
Had a cow one time that the horn kept growing into the side of her face, into her skull... we would take a heavy "loping type shears" and cut the tip off... back to where it would start to barely bleed... do that once a year when we preg checked her...

 

[farmerjan]

Whatever you do... do it when the moon is going from last quarter to the new moon... blood flow is less then. DO NOT do it right at the full moon... they will bleed like a stuck pig....

 

[Farmflock123]

Post a good picture please. We're assuming the growing horn is curving back into his head. Yes some portion can be cut off...it will continue to grow until adulthood.....so more trimming. @secuno is right, can be done. I've trimmed with sharp tree trimming hand sheers. There are blood vessels in center so you won't cut deep, meaning short.

He sounds tame and calm, so I don't see a great deal of resistance, most likely. It's not painful as the horn material has few nerves. I've trimmed & filed several horn ends for safety as they were sharp. But do get to it right away as it can cause a sore or cut into his skin.

 

[Farmflock123]

He is castrated and his horn is growing into the back of his head. My finger is on his skin and the horn was pressing down very hard on my finger

 

[Mini Horses]

That's not a big horn to cut. Use some brush loppers, or heavy gage, hard bladed pruning shears. Start cutting 1" first, then 1/2" increments. You'll see the pinkish color inside as you near the quick...like a fingernail. Be sure what you use is sharp and yes, you may have to move it around to comfortably get all sides and through the horn. It's tough material. Prob be able to get close to the broken area when done.