selecting kits and entering.

[patterdalejoel 669]

after a discussion with a friend, what is the preffered age to enter a kit?

and what criteria do you use to select a kit, as obviously working ability cannot be determined at 6-8 weeks.

what are your preffered methods?

[gnipper 6,467]

I couldn't tell you what I look for in a kit but there's usually one that catches my eye in a litter, if your getting em off someone else make sure their healthy and friendly and especially not skulking in the nest box.

[Ideation 8,216]

Big, strong, alert and healthy, and that should be pretty much any kit in the litter, so usually its just doen to one that catches your eye by markings or a personality trait.

 

R.E. entering, if they are bred right, they should go down, i usually wait till they are at least six months, sometimes to the back end of the season, sometimes even the next season, as usually im in no rush.

[andy p 32]

I always look for an active/ nosey kit and I start them that winter always have a few teething troubles eg skulking at holes but they sharp pick it up

Edited June 11, 2012 by andy p

[muddy210 34]

i usually pick the one i like the look of give it a quick run at the end of the season then see what its like the year after. i used to give em a few months to measure up then make me decision to keep them or not if they were no good get shifted to a pet home. these days the kids wont let me shift em on so i end up with a few extras inthe yard. :laugh: :laugh:

[Col_c88 41]

I entered my younguns at around 6-8 month (cant remember exactly) . which was basicly the end of the season.. just to give them an idea and finish on a high... i put them down with my experienced male ho took a good beating on there first time so im glad he was there to be honest...

 

they worked well but just excited too much when they come out of a hole when theres lots of rabbits... im looking forward to the start of this season as they will be older (obviously lol) and a couple of trips out they should calm down.

[Guest vin]

mine are 8 weeks old at the moment.. . they will be used this winter..started off in sept on some small easy burrows after they have been run through by the older ferrets..Then after a couple of goes,drop em in with the older uns when your on a decent easy set with a few in.Basically little and often,bit like entering a dog.

Dont giv them anything they cant handle and all should be ok.. theres always some better than others,even from same litter..Some people think that becasue they naturally want to go down holes etc etc that they are working...But not all of em are actively hunting whilst down there...Some are just running through..and others are on a mission to seek and find..Some like to go down deep and through anything to follow the scents...whilst others just bob about on the top of the set from hole to hole.

[The one 8,477]

Unless one catches my eye in litter i usually keep the one of the sex i fancy that's left if im breeding them myself , then i give it to the kids get out in the garden ,garage every day threw pipes etc .picking it up putting it down getting it used to noises . Then after ive ferreted a burrow i would give the kit a look see what it does ,if it's no ready wait a bit if it check's out the burrow try it in a small burrow with a older working jill . then little and often . Once its going on its own i check the burrow after it has worked it with a older jill to see if its worked the burrow properly and missed anything

[johnharris 177]

mine are in a small hutch for the first 6 months so they are handled every day, once they are easy to handle and come to you they then go into a run with my other ferrets so get to play through pipes and tubes. I never use them for working until at least a year old. If you enter them too early and they get a good kicking off a big rabbit it can spoil a good ferret.

As said in a previous post if they are from working stock they usually enter themselves