Guest Countryboyo Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Which are better workers and less likely to kill below ground? Im thinking of getting two hobs and starting a bit of ferreting.2 Hobbs so I wont have the expence of neutering females. But I heard hobbs are more likely than jills to kill below ground.???? Quote Link to post
will.f11 24 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 It all depends on the ferrets mate, but logically a hob is bigger and will kill quicker. Depends how you look at it. If you have a small jill and she has a stopped up rabbit, due to her size it will take longer to kill. Whereas if you have a hob which kills and leaves the kill, then it can be quicker. But IMO a hob struggles to fit through a net with a collar round its neck Quote Link to post
Brimmer 220 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 It's all horses for courses to be honest, I use mainly hobs, and have to dig quite a lot, but have got a few jills for the deeper warrens where it's not practical to be digging six footers out every time. (Most of my work is shallowish warrens to be honest though.) A strong hob willl kill quick, and usually don't get dragged around the warren whilst doing it, some jills are of the same mindset, but usually take longer to finish the job off, and sometimes get dragged around a bit whilst doing it. Nothing worse than having to dig 2 or 3 times to the same rabbit. Quote Link to post
victor 10 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 tiny jills wont be able to kill as easy as a massive hob, i like hobs more tho, i think thay are just better over all, i have a jill but eh. i dont like her as much as my 2 boys Quote Link to post
Guest ferret feller Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 i work 2 jills and a hob and i find the jills better for bolting and the hob better for digging.... if i am quick though i can clear a warren with the hob and dig mabey 5-6 holes too get the rabbits out.... with the jilsls they can be gone 10 minuets killing a rabbit but the hob if he stops for a minuet hes killed without fail... Quote Link to post
Malt 379 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I like using Jills myself. i work 2 jills and a hob and i find the jills better for bolting and the hob better for digging.... if i am quick though i can clear a warren with the hob and dig mabey 5-6 holes too get the rabbits out....with the jilsls they can be gone 10 minuets killing a rabbit but the hob if he stops for a minuet hes killed without fail... My Jill Poppy has a knack for killing, she gets straight to the windpipe, no messing, and she's fast too. She caught this one in the cover, after she chased it out of a bolt hole! I think the rabbit must have come out & sat tight, as there was dogs & people all around. Quote Link to post
AndyL 0 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Which are better workers and less likely to kill below ground? Im thinking of getting two hobs and starting a bit of ferreting.2 Hobbs so I wont have the expence of neutering females. But I heard hobbs are more likely than jills to kill below ground.???? All will kill below ground if they get the chance, depends which end of the rabbit they get hold of, if it's a smaller Jill there's more chance of the rabbit throwing the Jill off and bolting, likewise there is an increased chance of the Jill taking a kicking if she gets caught between the back end of a rabbit or turned (especially an older buck) and a stop end. I have had a few Jills (and Hobs) that have came up minus fur, bruised / cut, could hear the rabbit kicking out against the burrow walls, usually stops before I can dig down to the rabbit. I usually send the Jill(s) down first to see what they can flush out, Hob goes down if nothing showing (including the Jills) after 10-15 mins minimum depending on size of the warren and what I can hear below ground (rabbits on the move, rabbit squealing, nothing at all etc). Sometimes all three come up, sometimes only the Jills, then starting digging to the Hob, all depends on what they have caught or found. I have had Jills that have worked as well as Hobs, I have had Hobs and Jills that were work shy, all depends on the ferrets themselves all have different temprements and work ethics, bit like us in a way. Quote Link to post
andy s410c 61 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Prefer to work jills but i take a hob with them now & again to get things moving if need be.If the rabbits don't bolt with a hob your digging or waiting for a while... Quote Link to post
Guest Countryboyo Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I was out a hand full of times with a buddy a cupple years back he had two jills and he never had to dig, he didnt even bring a shovel. The problem is in my area where the few rabbits are its in ditches on the perimeter of dairy farm fields that are full of trees and scrub on the ditches. digging would be an awful ball$. also purse nets are a waste of time. there are no warrens in an open area in a field like you see in some photos on here. So basically what im saying is that digging is something I would want to avoid at all costs where possible. Would it be possible to get a small type hob? Quote Link to post
runforyourlife 361 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I have a jill which i have never had to dig to, it seems a bit ofa tall order but it is true. My hob is used when she is struggling to move the rabbits from the stop end, but this isnt very often. If she does kill, she seems to move straight on to flush the next rabbit.. Quote Link to post
Guest Countryboyo Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 (edited) I have a jill which i have never had to dig to, it seems a bit ofa tall order but it is true. My hob is used when she is struggling to move the rabbits from the stop end, but this isnt very often. If she does kill, she seems to move straight on to flush the next rabbit.. Nice one like I would prefer to get jills but then id have to get a vacetomised hob to take them out of heat. Its pricey stuff like. (edited to change hog to hob. It would be no good for the gills if they needed a feckin boar to take them out of heat) Edited January 27, 2009 by Countryboyo Quote Link to post
runforyourlife 361 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I have a jill which i have never had to dig to, it seems a bit ofa tall order but it is true. My hob is used when she is struggling to move the rabbits from the stop end, but this isnt very often. If she does kill, she seems to move straight on to flush the next rabbit.. Nice one like I would prefer to get jills but then id have to get a vacetomised hob to take them out of heat. Its pricey stuff like. (edited to change hog to hob. It would be no good for the gills if they needed a feckin boar to take them out of heat) lol, nice one.. Quote Link to post
cwmamanroughshooter. 0 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 it all depends on what you want. some poeple say a small jill is better because they find it harder to kill. but if she corners a big buck it will kick her to death, but a hob is more likely to kill to ground. Quote Link to post
Guest Countryboyo Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 Is there any way around keeping jills with out having to neuter them or keeping a vacetomised hob to take them out of heat? Quote Link to post
Brimmer 220 Posted January 27, 2009 Report Share Posted January 27, 2009 I've never had one come to any grief yet by leaving it in heat, but I can imagine the chance of infection is higher the longer they are in heat. They usually get bred every other year as well. Quote Link to post
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