# Goat gave birth to QUADRUPLETS - what to do?



## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

One of my goats was obviously pregnant so had been watching her closely. She has always had two in the past (this is her third kidding). I assumed two was going to be the number. She started to go into labor yesterday and wandered to an area where I could see her out the window. I knew there was a baby when I saw her licking something moving on the ground. I went outside and another baby came so I figured she was done. Then a foot was sticking out of her and out came the third. Then something looked like it was kicking inside of her and then the 4th popped out. All are very pretty girls and are healthy, active and able to feed without issues. I hear stories about one being a weakly runt or one being stillborn, etc. but these were all large, healthy babies. Each one of them is larger than the twins I had last week. Her udder is quite large so obviously her body knew to make lots of milk, but will it be enough?

I put out water tub left from a 100lb mineral tub as an additional water source near where she is with the babies. I also slid one of the full mineral tubs to this area and placed some alfalfa pellets on it for her to eat. There is plenty of natural forage in this area too.

Will she be able to handle this many with her own milk or not? 

Why does an animal with TWO tits give birth to FOUR babies?!?

Conor


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## Ranger1 (Sep 1, 2014)

She may be able to-if they were mine I'd pull two and bottle feed, but that's because I love bottle babies. Otherwise, I'd let her keep them, track weight gain, and make sure they aren't acting hungry. And also make sure she doesn't get too run down.

As for you second question, I don't know. I've wondered that myself-"Why do cows have four teats and usually one calf, and goats have two teats, and usually at least two kids?"


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I would offer them each a bottle daily. If they aren't getting enough they'll take it. You can also watch to make sure their bell is are full and go from there.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

My doe also had quads this year. I pulled two to bottle feed and left two on her. It's a real drain on the doe, however much milk she has, to try to keep up. Any someone always gets kicked off the teat. Just MO.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

She will need to be on free choice alfalfa pellets and also a daily ration of several pounds of grain or pelleted feed if she is going to support 4 kids. Even so, you may have to supplement the kids with bottles. 

Goats commonly have litters anywhere from 1 to 6 kids. there is no rhyme nor reason to the number in any particular year. 

Congrats on quad does!


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I will keep the mother well nourished and see what happens. There is also plenty of natural forage and she is back to eating like a pig which is good.

Conor


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Wow four doe kids!
You must be doing something right here what's in your water? :coffee2:
Many does handle quads easily but it boils down to the bottom line of the strongest ones knocking the smaller ones off the teat.
You can pull one or two to supplement without separating them from mom. If you do, the easiest time is about day 2. Right now she is producing plenty colostrum.


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## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

Survival of the fittest-the strong live and the weak die. That's why goats, or other animals, can produce more babies that they have teats for.

I've had quads with my does and while they were able to feed them, it took so much out of them that it took months to get her back in shape. When the kids were about a month old, one of the kids end up unable to get enough to thrive, so I had to fight to get him/her on the bottle. It might be in your and their best interest to teach them to use a bottle now, so they will know how to when they get bigger and need supplementation.


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## Lstein (Oct 2, 2014)

cwatkin said:


> Why does an animal with TWO tits give birth to FOUR babies?!?
> 
> Conor


It is a bit of a cruel joke by Mother Nature, lol.

Congrats on all the babies!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I let my doe who had quads nurse all four of them. I did train a couple of them to take a bottle just in case. I love giving kids a bottle; but they never really needed it.


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I will keep a close eye on this and see what happens. I will give them a bottle to get them used to it but am not sure it is needed. These kids are all very friendly and not skittish at all. They just run right up to you. The mother is this way and the two possible bucks are also friendly when not in rut and obnoxious and smelly. The two other twins born a few days ago are much more skittish.

Everything seems to be as good as it can be for this situation. The mother is healthy and seems to be producing a large amount of milk. The kids are all strong and healthy and there doesn't appear to be a dominant one or a weak one so they are all balanced in size and strength. These are large and vigorous kids which is surprising. I have watched them and they seem to all be feeding well. Also, there is lots of natural forage besides my supplementation.

These kids seemed to also all get up and going much faster than any others I have observed in the past. I was watching her from the window and went out when I realized she was licking a kid on the ground. The kid was sucking in no time and it still had some of the membrane that hadn't been licked off. Then the second one came. Those two were both sucking before the rest were born.

I was showing one of my friends pictures of them and he was shocked they were all up and going so fast after birth. I told him the first two were up and sucking before the others even arrived!

Conor


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

It is also interesting how goat kids come out in so many different colors and styles, much like kittens or puppies. The two brown ones look similar but these are all different. For example, the mother of this one came from a Lamancha buck and Nubian doe. She came out with the Lamancha ears while the twin doeling was a spitting image of the mother with floppy ears. She is also friendly and easy going like buck while the boy was more uptight like a true Nubian.

I have posted a picture of the doe that just had the quads as well as the brother buckling next to their mother just after their birth several years back.

Conor


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

cwatkin said:


> It is also interesting how goat kids come out in so many different colors and styles, much like kittens or puppies. The two brown ones look similar but these are all different. For example, the mother of this one came from a Lamancha buck and Nubian doe. She came out with the Lamancha ears while the twin doeling was a spitting image of the mother with floppy ears. She is also friendly and easy going like buck while the boy was more uptight like a true Nubian.
> 
> I have posted a picture of the doe that just had the quads as well as the brother buckling next to their mother just after their birth several years back.
> 
> Conor


Ain't that the truth!! These two are twin sisters.

(And yes, this would make an amazing meme I'm sure... They just looked so derpy chewing their cud with their eyes half open..I had to take the picture!!)


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

There was obviously Lamancha involved in that mix too.

Conor


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## lilaalil (Sep 5, 2014)

This was an intersting thread I read recently on quads http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f217/how-know-if-doe-producing-enough-milk-4-kids-184636/

It seemed that the problem she ran into was less about not having enough milk, but some kids hogging the bulk of it, and at the same time fighting over the teats, which can hurt and stress out mom (yikes, I can't imagine!). Anyway, thought you might like to read it.

Cute babies, btw!


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

cwatkin said:


> There was obviously Lamancha involved in that mix too.
> 
> Conor


Yup, they're minimanchas.


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

My sister's doe had quints last month and we raised them all on mom for a couple days until she decided one had a strange tooth and stopped feeding it. She would have fed them all fine if it wasn't for that tooth.


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## goatygirl (Feb 16, 2013)

These two are sisters


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

So far all are eating and have full bellies and seem perfectly content and not hungry. Her udder is also still filled out so not run dry yet. I will watch and wait with this group.

Conor


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

I love their coloring. Our buck is LaMancha/Alpine and we get quite a verity of ears.


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## elaine (Feb 20, 2010)

Congratulations they are beautiful, hope they all continue to do well


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Our quads were also very vigorous from the get-go, but we pulled them to bottle feed. Yours look fabulous and Mom looks really good too!


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## cwatkin (Jul 9, 2012)

I wanted to give everyone an update. Now that they are about 2 months old or so, they are doing great! The mother is holding up well as are the babies. One is a little more of a runt than the others. It is the lighter brown one of the two browns. She appeared a little wormy so I treated her and all is well now.

Conor


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

That is great!


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## catharina (Mar 17, 2016)

cwatkin said:


> It is also interesting how goat kids come out in so many different colors and styles, much like kittens or puppies. The two brown ones look similar but these are all different. For example, the mother of this one came from a Lamancha buck and Nubian doe. She came out with the Lamancha ears while the twin doeling was a spitting image of the mother with floppy ears. She is also friendly and easy going like buck while the boy was more uptight like a true Nubian.
> Conor


A dog or cat can have a litter where there are 2 or more dads represented. Can goats do that too?


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

^^ yes they can 

Conor, that's great!


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## GoatCrazy01 (Feb 14, 2016)

BEAUTIFUL babies!


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

>>>yes they can<<<

So can humans!!:shocked:

Glad to hear the babies and Mom are doing so well.


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