It has been an exciting few days for a small holding in Co. Offaly following the rare birth of goat quadruplets.

Francis Killeen, who describes himself as a hobby farmer, keeps goats and horses in Lusmagh, close to Banagher Co. Offaly.

On Friday (March 27), one of his Old Irish nanny goats surprised everyone by safely delivering four kids.

Francis told Agriland that he brought the grey nanny goat, named Polly Gray after the Peaky Blinders' character, indoors on Friday morning, as she was close to giving birth.

When he later heard the goat making noise in the pen, Francis said he knew she was after having kids.

"I went down and one was under her feet, the next thing I looked behind a bale, there was another one. Next thing I went into the stable and there was another one. Two seconds later, I turned around I saw a fourth one.

"I said this is not possible, there is another goat having kids here now as well and she is after running back out into the field," he said.

After checking his other goats, Francis confirmed that Polly Gray had indeed given birth to quadruplets, thought to be three male kids and a female.

After being initially fed with bottles, the kids are now happily drinking from a converted milk bucket.

"There's two big ones and two small ones. Would you believe it the two small ones are hardier than the two big ones. They are absolutely flying it now," Francis said.

"She's a great mother. I have her in the stall in her own pen. I have two little sheep gates and the kids come in underneath to drink out of the bucket. She lies in the far side with her hay, feeder and water.

"The very minute the kids are done drinking they go back in and lay down beside her and she is cuddling them all day," he added.

Goats

Quadruplet births in goats are considered quite rare, occurring in only about 2% of births for many breeds.

It is probably not surprising then that Francis's family did not believe him at first that the goat had given birth to four kids.

"They all had to go to the shed to investigate for themselves. Goats don't have four kids is what I was told," he said.

When Francis was growing up, he remembers that there was always goats, horses and donkeys at home. "You bring it with you, it's bred into you," he said.

"I find the goats very easy to keep because where I have them, I have them well fenced. I don't have any bother with them," he added