Quintuplets!!

PlowGirl · #1 10/28/06, 10:02 PM

My does started freshening this week. Today, my favorite Nubian delivered 5, count them, 5 little ones. 3 doelings, 2 bucklings. She was big as a barn, but really, I never expected that many.

She wasn't on fertility drugs, LOL, so is this a genetic trait? Her first freshening (for me) she had quads, the first was weak, the next two were stuck, and the last one died in the womb. She twinned last year, two beautiful doelings. Is it possible that kids from multiple births will go on to perpetuate that as well?

So far, all are doing quite well. One of the bigger doelings has weak hind legs, but getting better. I milked her and fed each one to make sure they all got enough colustrum.

This makes 13 kids out of 5 does. More coming soon.

dap · #2 10/28/06, 10:30 PM

Wow! is all that I can say. Wow....that's a bunch of kids!

chamoisee · #3 10/28/06, 10:39 PM

Yes, it is genetic. Some people don't like it, I think it's a positive trait. The more kids you have per doe, the more doelings you will have to choose from, and the better chances of getting *good* quality replacement doelings instead of keeping all of them because 3 or 4 were all that you got that year!

My buck is a quad. His daughters tend to have triplets pretty reliably.

allenslabs · #4 10/28/06, 10:52 PM

I bet a "holy crap!" came outta your mouth once your eyes caught em all!! I'm assuming your gonna bottle feed a few of them huh? Oh wow........ and I thought quads was something for me out of one of my saanen...... and actually her daughter had triplets the same year she had quads...... maybe multiples are genetic....

CONGRATTTTTTTTTTTTTTSSSSSSS!!

GoldenWood Farm · #5 10/28/06, 11:49 PM

My first reaction would be

then I would be

[strongbad [strongbad and then thinking of feeding all 5 I would go

....then I would probably go

LOL! Congrats on all the kids! I am guessing on her part yes it is genetic...I personally love that trait...I have 3 does who I all kept a kid out of as the mom had triplets (well not for those kids but the year after they did) so I am hoping that their kids have triplets and maybe the moms have quads this year?

MotherClucker

mpillow · #6 10/29/06, 09:27 AM

Sounds like a cash cow to me! I mean goat

But you might need a cow to feed them all !

I always keep milk fzn or canned for life's little surprises

fernando · #7 10/29/06, 09:40 AM

One doe.
Four teats.
Five kids.
Gonna be a little hectic at times.

mpillow · #8 10/29/06, 09:47 AM

4 teats? yeah on a cow! Not on my dairy goats!

**ladycat** · #9 10/29/06, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

One doe.
Four teats.

I used to have goats and I remember two. Am I remembering wrong?

manygoatsnmore · #10 10/29/06, 10:56 AM

That's fantastic, and yes, genetic!!!!

I am happy when I reliably get twins and trips.

QUINTS would blow my mind.

Congratulations....when will the pics be posted?

Morning Owl · #11 10/29/06, 10:58 AM

How about pictures PlowGirl? I would love to see them if you can. Congradulations

KayJay · #12 10/29/06, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fernando

One doe.
Four teats.
Five kids.
Gonna be a little hectic at times.

I actually had a doe who had 5 teats, but 3 of them were tiny and didn't work lol.
Congrats on all those babies, hope they all thrive!

goatkid · #13 10/29/06, 11:31 AM

Congratulations. I'm sure you will need to bottle feed some of them. You want to make sure they are all getting enough to eat. Also keep an eye on your doe. According to my vet, when they have that many kids, they lose alot of fluid which can create a mineral imbalance. Isis had quints a couple of years ago and needed to be treated for hypocalcemia. Watch that she continues to eat well and that her milk production does not decrease.

PlowGirl · #14 10/31/06, 08:39 AM

I lost the doe yesterday. She was doing just great on Sunday, but a bit sore. Monday morning she was down, moaning, and was having what I call abdominal thumps. There may be a technical term for it. Not muscle tremors. I gave her cmpk and that seemed to help, but took her into the vet just to be sure. At that time her calcium and magnesium levels were normal, but protein was down. She got a uterine transfusion, a powerful antibiotic, and a dextrose? shot and Banamine. She was more comfortable, but still not moving and disinterested in food or water. She got those thumps again just after noon, and I gave her more cmpk, and drenched her with some baking soda water since she wasn't drinking on her own. Some folks came by to look at the sandstone rock shelves I have on the property and when we got back, she was dead.
What did I miss? I really hated to lose that doe, not because of the multiple babies, but she was just a fantastic individual. Could she have sustained a tear having that many?

dap · #15 10/31/06, 08:50 AM

Oh, I am SOOOOO sorry!

mary,tx · #16 10/31/06, 08:51 AM

I can't answer your questions, but wanted to say I am sorry that you lost your favorite doe like this. I hope you will pick a favorite of her doelings to keep.
mary

mpillow · #17 10/31/06, 08:58 AM

Wow...I'm so sorry....these thumps??? maybe one of the stomachs was misplaced?

vtfarma · #18 10/31/06, 10:23 AM

Oh, from such joy and excitement to such a heavy heart. I am so sorry. I wish I could help with the "thumps" but have no clue. Maybe it is something with one of the stomachs. Having that many babies in there probably displaced alot of things and then it couldn't get untwisted on its own.

You certainly will have your hands full now feeding the little ones. Bless your soul that you have such a bunch to do.

Laurie

Kaitlin · #19 10/31/06, 11:22 AM

So sorry to hear of the loss of your doe. I lost my favourite girl last year and it's hard. Best of luck with all the little ones.

Kaitlin

PlowGirl · #20 10/31/06, 11:44 AM

Thanks everyone. She had the "thumping" in her flanks while we were at the vet's, and I pointed them out. She had a true muscle tremor there as well, but in her shoulder. The thumping was kind of like a steady, rhythmic burping, not tremor-like at all. I just have no clue, and apparently neither did my vet. Though he did think she might not have cleaned out properly, might the thumping have been a sort of uterine contraction?
I'm bottle feeding the little ones. Thank goodness that they all knew what it was, since I had milked her for colostrum to make sure everyone of the kids got plenty. But they're sure hungry alot. I never realized how often kids eat ALL day. I've brought them inside, I have hard floors, so they're underfoot constantly, and bump my legs when it's bottle-time.