Old Working Strains Of Ferrets

[Mustelid 144]

A really interesting thread. In my experience, the ferrets that work rats well are also the best on rabbits. I'm going to breed from my best jill this year, provided I can find a decent hob to line her with. This jill is mad for rats and I've bolted a lot with her over the past two seasons.

[Hot Meat 3,109]

I dont know how old ours ferrets line is but we can trace it eighteen years. They ain't the best but they have never left us feeling we needed better. Unlike my dogs I'm real happy with my ferrets and there performance haha

[Guest vin]

 

Did you manage to keep the strain going from that last greyhound type you bought all those years ago in the 1980,s. .? If so can I have a kit this year old chap ?

I would love to get a bit of that into my workers.. Ken has a nice greyhound/micro type Jill he calls it "mouse".. thats about my type for most jobs.

 

I get what you mean James by this line of enquiry and I totally agree..The standards these days are very poor for working strains. . . there's the odd one or 2 old boys up my way ( one of them is your mate mick with the micros ) they still have there own working type lines that they have kept going for well over 20 odd years.. some of them are the best of the best from what I've seen so far.

As for these micros etc etc..I have use for 1 very small fert for 1 job that I do that requires a fert that cannot hold and kill a bunny. . .Ken knows the job im talking about.

 

In my humble opinion the ferret should hold as much importance as the dogs do in the grand scheme of things.. they should be micro chipped to the owner and cost at least £100 to buy with papers and proof of ownership etc etc like a dog etc etc..

 

look how many there is for sale and free to good home at end of every season and how easy it is for the general run of the mill numpties to go out and purchase one,with no idea about how to keep them.

 

Then thats another subject..the ones who have them and dont look after them properly..feed em on shite kitty kat or some other piss poor diet..The poor old fert doesnt stand a chance these days..

Vin

 

Sadly the ferrets i got from the pugs and drummers stand escaped man many years ago, and so i have none of this breeding....my baseline today is a black eyed "coney catcher strain" and interestingly Chalkwarren and i were looking at some old video footage the other week showing the great great great grand parents in his ferret run....if only we had those beasts today !!

 

Since I posted this, i have had some interesting PM's/ calls from ferreters offering old type strains, which once my new set up is complete (new alarms and lasers etc being fitted tomorrow to deter the ferret thieving scum...plus presents for them....if they can get into the unit!!) i may well take them up on a few kits as it looks like Ken and I will be a bit busy to say the least judging on some new jobs coming forward and you never know I may find the holy grail of a true greyhound ferret or the ulitmate worker!!

 

James

 

 

I do hope you get a few of these old lines James and hopefully continue to keep them going.

 

and try them in the field so we can get a good idea of where the best of the best really are...

 

 

and just to add finally.... I think the Best Ferrets in the UK will come from and originate from.... YORKSHIRE. . . not them welsh softies or them highland goat hearders.. good old fashioned rock hard Yorkshire miners. you,ll see when your research is done old chap.. Yorkshire !

[sam007 34]

13 years ago I packed in ferreting when my buddy passed

I then had a line that I knew to be over 47 years and probably

over 50+ years as my dad had the line before me

I had 2 jills left and a year after I packed in both were stolen

There were none of that line left as I never sold or passed

young on.

To keep a line going that long you need quite a number of

ferrets to make sure the don't breed too close.I always concentrated

on the bitch line and when necessary introduced new blood on the

dog side .

I started back 4 years ago and had to get a new bunch of stinkers

but will not be breeding these as they will do me tillI I call it quits

If not you can always pick up a ferret when needed.