Hobs Or Jills?

[Leesy 35]

Hi folks. I'm considering getting my own ferrets but I dont know whats best....Hobs or Jills? Seen both working well but could do with some advice!

Thanks

[leethedog 3,071]

Hobs work harder get small ones tho no Rottweiler cross

[krawnden 1,036]

Either will do the job. It's a sweeping generalisation but hobs will often work more slowly and methodically than jills. They seem to have more staying power too. Being bigger as a rule they find it harder to pass through nets without making a right mess - especially if wearing a collar. Also their bigger size can make them better at killing below ground. But as I said, that's a real generalisation. I've had hobs that worked really fast and hardly ever killed, and I've also had jills that worked very thoroughly and were expert at killing below ground. Personally I like to have a mix of both though if I was forced to only have one sex or the other I'd go for hobs.

[Meeks 153]

I really don't know where anybody gets the tale that hobs work better than Jill's.in my opinion that's crap.you've obv never worked or kept good jills!of course some hobs will work better against some jills that arnt up to the task.I've been out ferreting with jills one day,gone home with over 20 rabbits no digs,back out the next to a different part of the same perm with hobs and spent the day digging and trying to find hobs underground and went home with 5.so who was the better worker?hmmm?it really is everybody's own prefrence,everybody will tell you different.I have a team and I like to work both,keeping hobs for certain burrows and jills for certain burrows.but often work them both together in some warrens.it's not a case of who works better because all my ferrets are workers but who I think is going to work better in the warrens we are working that day.

Edited January 8, 2015 by Meeks

[Ibracadabra 5]

It's like saying who's better at cooking? Men or women. It's down to the individuals, personally I'd get 2 Jill's and a small hob that way you'll have the best of everything

[pigeonphill 69]

I always used to use jills, I have for a couple of years used hobs as well both work as good as each other and both will work all day, but the hobs are used with the long nets to stop them messing the purse nets up

[Guest vin]

I really don't know where anybody gets the tale that hobs work better than Jill's.in my opinion that's crap.you've obv never worked or kept good jills!of course some hobs will work better against some jills that arnt up to the task.I've been out ferreting with jills one day,gone home with over 20 rabbits no digs,back out the next to a different part of the same perm with hobs and spent the day digging and trying to find hobs underground and went home with 5.so who was the better worker?hmmm?it really is everybody's own prefrence,everybody will tell you different.I have a team and I like to work both,keeping hobs for certain burrows and jills for certain burrows.but often work them both together in some warrens.it's not a case of who works better because all my ferrets are workers but who I think is going to work better in the warrens we are working that day.

 

Your Jills were skimming and the Hobs were grafting...not there fault you cant find them and dig em out quick enough.

 

If you caught 20 with the Jills and didn't dig...you probably left 10 below ground.

[Hands of Stone 154]

Ive worked both regularly and tbh theres little difference that i can see, results wise, but i like big chunky jills. one thing i have noticed is that i have find i more hobs make the grade than jills

 

BUT

 

everybodys idea of a good ferret differs, some lads just want a bolter for a few shots with the gun/runs for the dog/ flights for the hawk then you get your lads that if the dog marks a burrow they want that rabbit out whether you spend all day digging on your first burrow......

Edited January 8, 2015 by Hands of Stone

[Meeks 153]

I really don't know where anybody gets the tale that hobs work better than Jill's.in my opinion that's crap.you've obv never worked or kept good jills!of course some hobs will work better against some jills that arnt up to the task.I've been out ferreting with jills one day,gone home with over 20 rabbits no digs,back out the next to a different part of the same perm with hobs and spent the day digging and trying to find hobs underground and went home with 5.so who was the better worker?hmmm?it really is everybody's own prefrence,everybody will tell you different.I have a team and I like to work both,keeping hobs for certain burrows and jills for certain burrows.but often work them both together in some warrens.it's not a case of who works better because all my ferrets are workers but who I think is going to work better in the warrens we are working that day.

 

Your Jills were skimming and the Hobs were grafting...not there fault you cant find them and dig em out quick enough.

 

If you caught 20 with the Jills and didn't dig...you probably left 10 below ground.[/

 

I see you're point.but I honestly don't think that's always the case.jills will stay with a stubborn rabbit and kill under ground.i prefer my rabbits to be bolted.what I'm getting at as decent size Jill can be a good a worker as any hob.im my opinion

[Leesy 35]

Ha ha, good debate guys, cheers. A good insight a couple more questions if I may?...if I decide to have both, would it be a good idea to have a neutered hob living in with jills or keep them seperate? I dont want to be over run with the little tykes! Or will 2 'fully equipt' hobs live well together?

[pie-eater 377]

Ha ha, good debate guys, cheers. A good insight a couple more questions if I may?...if I decide to have both, would it be a good idea to have a neutered hob living in with jills or keep them seperate? I dont want to be over run with the little tykes! Or will 2 'fully equipt' hobs live well together?

If youre thinking 2 jills and a hob then a vecectomised hob would be a better idea, as well as a worker your hob could also take your jills out of season.

[Ibracadabra 5]

Get the hob castrated, then he can live with the Jill's all year round and won't get horny and agressive! You'll have to pay to get the Jill's taken out of season though. Still think its worth it.

[pie-eater 377]

Get the hob castrated, then he can live with the Jill's all year round and won't get horny and agressive! You'll have to pay to get the Jill's taken out of season though. Still think its worth it.

Ive had snipped hobs in with jills year round no problem, they only bothered them when they were in season.

Edited January 9, 2015 by pie-eater

[Ibracadabra 5]

 

 

Get the hob castrated, then he can live with the Jill's all year round and won't get horny and agressive! You'll have to pay to get the Jill's taken out of season though. Still think its worth it.

Ive had snipped hobs in with jills year round no problem, they only bothered them when they were in season.

Does his mood not change when he's in season though? Hobs get hot under the collar and aren't as nice to work with when they're horny