Is 14 weeks too young to work ferrets

[pmatty77 26]

Considering starting my ferrets at above age,prob start with a small warren,they are as big as my full grown ferrets and more than held their own with them in a little tussle over some day old chicks so they seem ok to go to me

[blond 8]

bit young to be honest, id wait till they were about 6 months old, it may put them off if they get a good kicking whilst chasing a rabbit

[Magwitch 687]

They recommend 5 months before any serious work...............................

[socks 32,253]

I always wait until mine are 6 months of age so that they are mentally mature ...........

[Bunny Boiler 177]

Make sure you ease them in with some older ferts too. But yeh, as said, 6 months is a good age. I would have also thought that size is an issue. If they're big ferrets, starting them that little bit earlier shouldn't be too much of an issue, when worked with more experienced ferts.

 

atb, BB

[Stretch177 39]

For me its more about their maturity rather than their age, but never have worked them before 5/6 months. I like to let them be kits and then start them working. If they are mature when they reach 5/6 months i will take them out with my older hob and try them out, if not i will leave them until the end of the season or wait till the season after.

[pmatty77 26]

Thanks all

[The one 8,545]

There just over three months old they wont be mature enough yet

[cawleada04 4]

Both my 4 month old ferrets have bolted a couple of rabbits each but this was in a 3 hole warran. There still a little to playfull to start doing Serious hunting.

[theferreter 311]

6 or 7 months for mine

[AirgunGuy 362]

Nothing wrong with putting it through a 3-4 holer. I done it with mine at that age and they've bolted

[Country Joe 1,411]

I have always gave my Kits some easy burys in their first year,when fully developed, never had a problem.

But this year i had a Jill from Netrigger on here.

Bill never works his young Ferrets till the following Season.

I have had her out this Season Twice and have been impressed both times working her Rabbits and bottling them up, bolting three, she finds really quickly, and is going to make a good worker.

so its worth leaving them in their first year, if you have older ones you can use.

[Brimmer 220]

I used to rush them and then wonder why the jills would show good and then suddenley jib out, they really dont like the uppercut, and then never come back.

As for the hobs, i've had some crackers come through the ranks over the years that were rushed, i put it down to size being able to handle the hard knocks.

I would nowadays as most have said hold them back for a while, and have found the jills especially benefit from starting them late around xmas time.