# Can you tell how many babies a prego will have?



## ILuvGoats123 (May 2, 2013)

My goat, Anna Beth, is four months pregnant and I'm anxious to know how many babies she's carrying. Unfortunately, I only have a pic of when she was one month pregnant, but I am attaching it so you might be able to tell.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

You know, even if this was a current pic it would be a wild guess.
Twins is more common than a single & trips also more common than single.
Some does hide them well.
She sure is pretty, happy kidding to you!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Agree with Nancy. It is way too hard to tell. Depends on size of kids, if mom has a long body that can hide kids, etc.


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## summerdreamer71 (Jan 25, 2013)

I have a Pygmy that had quads and it was her first time kidding ever. Three days before she kidded, someone on this forum told me that she was either not far along at all or not pregnant. She hid them, but only a little  It's hard to tell.


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## julieq (Feb 25, 2013)

I can usually guess with the older does who I have kidded out previously, but with the first fresheners no way. Sometimes they carry one sideways or carry three lengthwise, i.e. they don't get huge bellies! I wish our vet had an ultrasound unit so he could tell us.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

From what I've read, even that doesn't always work. Someone posted on here about an ultrasound and the vet told the owner that she was pregnant. Turned out the goat had been spayed before the current owner bought her. Go figure!


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## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

I'm terrible at guessing. My first doe that kidded this year I thought she'd have twins - she had triplets. The second one I thought maybe triplets - she had quads. The third one I thought FOR SURE a single... She had triplets lol.


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## bustedupcowgirl (Apr 7, 2013)

nancy d said:


> You know, even if this was a current pic it would be a wild guess.
> Twins is more common than a single & trips also more common than single.


I keep reading this all over the net....

3 of my does kidded for the first time this year...ALL 3 had singles!!! One left to go...I keep telling her she has to have at least 6 to play catch up for the rest  I can't believe the streak I'm having


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## Squires (Sep 14, 2010)

GoatCrazy said:


> From what I've read, even that doesn't always work. Someone posted on here about an ultrasound and the vet told the owner that she was pregnant. Turned out the goat had been spayed before the current owner bought her. Go figure!


I know someone whose doe was over-due, so they went to the vet and the vet said it was a false pregnancy. Then the goat gave birth to triplets!!!!

Late in pregnancy, some sheep and goats can get a prolapsed vulva from having too much inside -- not enough room for lambs/kids, hay and body fat. IF a goat looks like it is going to pop early, I may reduce the hay and start to increase the concentrates gradually (grain or pellets) to allow more room inside for kids.

When I reduced hay from free-choice unlimited to just a few pounds a day (for Nigerians) it became easier to see who was really pregnant.


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

bustedupcowgirl said:


> I keep reading this all over the net....
> 
> 3 of my does kidded for the first time this year...ALL 3 had singles!!! One left to go...I keep telling her she has to have at least 6 to play catch up for the rest  I can't believe the streak I'm having


I wouldn't worry about it. Although most of my first timers have twins, I don't have a problem with them having singles - they almost always make up for it the 2nd time around and it's a whole lot easier on me - not nearly as much hollering when they can't see/find their kid!


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## maple hill farm tina (Mar 14, 2010)

It is very difficult to tell... Even the most experienced breeders can be fooled sometimes. My goat, Delta, had triplets last year and she was not very big. This year, she was larger than last year and ended up with a single buckling... Go figure...


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## Lucie (Jan 18, 2021)

So I've been hearing that even ultrasounds aren't a sure fire way to tell how many kids a goat will have, bc the mother can absorb fetuses. Anyways, how common is this? Is there a chance my Nigerian who showed triplets on her ultrasound at 75 days will have triplets? I was really excited for them, and bummed to hear she may not have three. Any insight? I should mention the vet is a specialized goat vet who is very experienced with ultrasounds. But even at that clinic, people were saying ultrasounds only tell you your goat is pregnant not how many kids they'll have. The vet (and I) clearly saw three sacs with one kid in each sac. They were facing towards the probe, so you only saw their head/skulls, but it was obviously 3.


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## SalteyLove (Jun 18, 2011)

Lucie said:


> So I've been hearing that even ultrasounds aren't a sure fire way to tell how many kids a goat will have, bc the mother can absorb fetuses. Anyways, how common is this? Is there a chance my Nigerian who showed triplets on her ultrasound at 75 days will have triplets? I was really excited for them, and bummed to hear she may not have three. Any insight? I should mention the vet is a specialized goat vet who is very experienced with ultrasounds. But even at that clinic, people were saying ultrasounds only tell you your goat is pregnant not how many kids they'll have. The vet (and I) clearly saw three sacs with one kid in each sac. They were facing towards the probe, so you only saw their head/skulls, but it was obviously 3.


Your goat will have triplets. Unless one was hiding, then she'll have quads!


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## AndersonRanch (Oct 18, 2020)

I agree If you saw 3 babies at 75 days your probably going to have at least 3 babies. That is pretty far along and the absorbing is more in the earlier stage of pregnancy. Of course there are things that can go wrong and loose one, I once had a doe that had triplets and when she dropped her placenta I found a tiny blob of soft bones that would fit in the palm of my hand. So she must have had 4 and one died. And as salteylove mentioned they can hide in there too, so you might have more then 3


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## Lucie (Jan 18, 2021)

Thank you guys so much.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I believe the only sure way of knowing is after they kid. I know people who have had ultrasounds done and been wrong on how many they are carrying. But, it's a nice option to try and get an idea of how many they could be carrying and if they are indeed pregnant.

Does can hide them and trick you. We just had 4 does kid, the one who we thought might have twins or small triplets ended up having quads! Another who made us worry if she was really pregnant 6-8 weeks out had triplets, all were good sized for her. Another we guessed right on triplets, but our last one that kidded today we were worried would have 3-4, she is a huge doe, and she had twins lol.


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## Lucie (Jan 18, 2021)

Yes that makes sense. Did you ultrasound your does during their pregnancy?


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

They sure can hide them well, had one who I swear had to have trips, but nope, she gave a single. Had to go in and check to make sure.


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