I would like to buy a ferret but we have free range chickens. Mum is concerned that the ferret might eat or kill the chickens. Is that a possibility?
2006-08-25 15:01:33 · 16 answers · asked by Ellie S 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I've had two ferrets and read a lot about them and I have never come across anything like that. I think they make great pets. They are super entertaining and easy to take care of. They are good with my kids and my friends love to watch them play.
2006-08-25 15:07:30 · answer #1 · answered by baby_girl_1219 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am a ferret owner and I have researched this animal so many times.... Ferrets were oringinally bred to hunt rabbits and other small game. So yes it is a possibillity but I have also read that ferrets are not so good with things SMALLER then them, in my opinion, a chicken is bigger then a ferret. Also wouldn't you keep the ferret in a ferret cage? Sure you have to let them out anywhere from 3-4 hours a day but wouldn't you keep the ferret inside and the chickens out? If this is the case then I don't forsee a problem. Ferrets are great creatures, a bit like cats actually. Wild ferrets such as the black footed ferret would most certainly go for a chicken but I wouldn't think that a socialized ferret would; although its instincts might kick in! I hope i was of some help to you and if you have any more questions let me known and I will see if i can help.
2006-08-25 17:30:47 · answer #2 · answered by ~Compétences~ 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've never heard of that, but ferrets are very playful and may accidentally hurt one when trying to play with it. You shouldn't keep a ferret loose outside anyway. When you do take him outside, you should have him on a lease, because they are small, distractable, and will get lost easily. I don't think it would be a problem, but make sure you do a LOT of reading up of ferret care, because they are high maintainance pets, and MANY ferrets are dumped all the time because their owners didn't know how to care for them properly, and didn't realize how much work it is. But if you don't mind that, they are great pets!! =)
2006-08-26 02:12:01 · answer #3 · answered by Carpet Shark Luver 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is possible for a ferret to kill a chicken. They are predators, and should not be turned loose outside their cage without supervision. A domestic ferret is not likely to attack a full grown chicken, But will attack a chick or bantam. when I had ferrets, one got out of the cage when I was changing the water and hid in the barn. The next morning I caught him biting at the feet of pet rabbits in their cages. A bloody mess from biting their toes. He was a people biter from that day on, until he died. Before that, He was very gentle and easy to handle. I guess the taste of the blood did something to him. Ferret leashes work well for exercising them outside. Good luck.
2006-08-25 15:45:51 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ferrets aren't really well.. 'The best' with cats lol, they're easy pets at times, they can be a bother sometimes and difficult and they do tend to smell too. Some can be vicious, when my friend and I went to a pet store to look at these ferrets, there were 2 in its cage, two brothers, one was more vicious then the other. It really depends which ferret you get haha, and keep it in a safe distance from you at all times so it doesn't have to roam around and cause problems towards your other animals :]
2016-03-27 06:16:51 · answer #5 · answered by CherylAnn 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not domestic ferrets. I mean they eat chicken like you or I would eat chicken but they won't hunt them down and kill them. I would just keep the ferret inside anyway, you don't want them to get away or get hurt.
2006-08-26 16:23:30 · answer #6 · answered by goddessdagger 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They don't eat the chickens but they like to chase and kill chickens. Not pet ferrets, the wild one, which, are very rare.
2006-08-25 15:09:07 · answer #7 · answered by i love my sexy hubby 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I sold ducklings to a man one time, and twice he told me that something got into his garage and killed all of them. When we drove over, I saw that his neighbor had two loose ferrets.
Mink and ferrets are in the same family and both are predators. They haven't been made pets of for as long as dogs, and are just following their instincts. For a long time, they had a muzzle placed on them, and were sent down a rabbit hole. A person would have a bag on the other end of the burrow, and would catch the rabbits when they tried to escape for their lives. When ferrets were kept, it weren't for pets, it was to chase the game into a sack so the owner could have meat on the table.
Please do not get ferrets as long as you have barnyard birds, or rabbits.
2006-08-25 16:41:47 · answer #8 · answered by Amanda J 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Yes. They will kill them for sport, too. Usually just bite the head off.
You can probably minimize the threat by closing up the chickens at night and keeping the ferret inside at night, when the chickens are defenseless.
2006-08-25 15:05:18 · answer #9 · answered by auntiegrav 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Of course it would. A weasel is only about a quarter the size of a ferret and that would as well.
2014-11-09 14:31:34 · answer #10 · answered by Vectus 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋