Culling ferrets

[Sighthound 49]

I spent ten minutes writing this then you locked the post. So I'll post this and you can delete it.

 

I'm 44 now and had my first ferret at 14.

 

Like Meerihunter It's only in the last couple of years thaat I have started to cull them.

Why ? - when I first started ferreting people kept ferrets for work pure and simple, those that were good workers survived those that didn't were culled. '

 

True things in some way have changed for the better eg my grandads ferrets were fed bread and milk and he used to pull the canine teeth out so they would not kill

 

I used to have no problem with surplus stock as I knew most of the people I gave them to (I've never sold a ferret) but since the advent of the 'pet ferret keeper' the amount of idiots pestering me for ferrets was unbelievable. And what really annoys me are those who lecture on how they should be kept! I had one woman who told me it was cruel to keep them outside (mine are in a 8 x 4ft court) and she was going to keep hers in the house, I didn't let her have a ferret

What is worse however are the people who buy their cute 8 week old kits and look after them until the winter comes or they get bored with them and they are destined to spend the rest of their lives in some manky hutch never to work and rarely handled..

 

So yes I cull as soon as possible after birth, this year I need two jills for myself and a friend wants two hence I culled to four, I've had this line for many years so I don't want to buy stock in, better that than finding your ferrets in a pet home.

[will.f11 24]

Very good point.

[wasp 0]

i bet peeps do cull but don't advertise the fact,Me personally would only cull if their was something wrong i.e deformed ferrets,but then i grew up on a busy working farm and the weakest of everything got culled so i don't have a problem with it.

[bobdog 0]

44? sighthound your only a baby yet.

[will.f11 24]

I am on a farm and culling can sometimes be the only option

im ony on me first litter so havent had to cull but i hope I never need to

[para1 11]

  Sighthound said:

I spent ten minutes writing this then you locked the post. So I'll post this and you can delete it.

 

I'm 44 now and had my first ferret at 14.

 

Like Meerihunter It's only in the last couple of years thaat I have started to cull them.

Why ? - when I first started ferreting people kept ferrets for work pure and simple, those that were good workers survived those that didn't were culled. '

 

True things in some way have changed for the better eg my grandads ferrets were fed bread and milk and he used to pull the canine teeth out so they would not kill

 

I used to have no problem with surplus stock as I knew most of the people I gave them to (I've never sold a ferret) but since the advent of the 'pet ferret keeper' the amount of idiots pestering me for ferrets was unbelievable. And what really annoys me are those who lecture on how they should be kept! I had one woman who told me it was cruel to keep them outside (mine are in a 8 x 4ft court) and she was going to keep hers in the house, I didn't let her have a ferret

What is worse however are the people who buy their cute 8 week old kits and look after them until the winter comes or they get bored with them and they are destined to spend the rest of their lives in some manky hutch never to work and rarely handled..

 

So yes I cull as soon as possible after birth, this year I need two jills for myself and a friend wants two hence I culled to four, I've had this line for many years so I don't want to buy stock in, better that than finding your ferrets in a pet home.

 

Yep your only a baby But You got it right .Only 6 teats on my ferts.

[jazz_11 5]

in that aspect of culling i think there is nothing wrong with it (culling something which is deformed)

but to go and cull an animal which there is nothing wrongfor whatever reason if it breeding lines or whatever is wrong...

[Sighthound 49]

  bobdog said:

44? sighthound your only a baby yet.

 

 

LOL I don't feel like a baby after a hard shift laying slabs

[bobdog 0]

  Sighthound said:

  bobdog said:

44? sighthound your only a baby yet.

 

 

LOL I don't feel like a baby after a hard shift laying slabs

you would be better off laying a woman lol

[Guest bigredbusa]

i think the original thread needs to be opened as it was a debate and those children who decided to name call just brushed under the carpet .

 

once again good points made

[Malt 379]

  bigredbusa said:

i think the original thread needs to be opened as it was a debate and those children who decided to name call just brushed under the carpet .

 

once again good points made

Totally agree, there were some good points coming in on both sides, but a clean up of the thread to remove the name calling was all that was needed.

[para1 11]

  maltenby said:

  bigredbusa said:

i think the original thread needs to be opened as it was a debate and those children who decided to name call just brushed under the carpet .

 

once again good points made

Totally agree, there were some good points coming in on both sides, but a clean up of the thread to remove the name calling was all that was needed.

 

Always culled the hobs as soon as they where big enough to sex (about 3 days) and always will no matter what the Kiddies say.6 tits will rear 6 strong kits.Stoats & weasels don't have 12+ young.

Good hunting all P1.

[Guest Magwitch]

you can sex a ferret from day one and as for stoats read this , Stoats on the other hand only have one litter per year in Spring but the breeding takes place in early summer of the previous year, with the females able to keep the fertilised egg implanted until it is allowed to gestate. A typical litter size is between 6 and 12 kits.

[scothunter 12,609]

I have done it in the past,however this time i decided not to.Not checked how many kits i have she just dropped them on frid.They are from good workers so will find homes for the ones i dont want.Worst case scenario i will eat them.(Was a joke before you all start)..........................

[para1 11]

  Magwitch said:

you can sex a ferret from day one and as for stoats read this , Stoats on the other hand only have one litter per year in Spring but the breeding takes place in early summer of the previous year, with the females able to keep the fertilised egg implanted until it is allowed to gestate. A typical litter size is between 6 and 12 kits.

 

YOU might be able to sex them at a day, I can't with my eyesight, as for the rest what are you trying to say? 6 still seems a magic number?.And i should imagine that less than that actually survive.P1