Since ferrets are obligate carnivores, it’s important that they eat plenty of protein. Although most
ferrets will readily eat kibble, it’s good to get ferrets accustomed to consuming high-protein, easy to eat
foods, so if they get sick, they will be used to eating it and they will get the nutrition they need. This recipe for homemade chicken soup is easy to make and is great for ferrets. Some people use it
as part of their ferret’s daily diet, and others use it as a treat. Many people modify the recipe to suit
their ferret’s taste. You can use this as a starting point and see how your ferrets do with it. Feel free to
experiment with the combination of ingredients.
HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP FOR FERRETS
1 whole chicken OR 1 family pack of chicken thighs OR 1 package of chicken leg quarters (the average
weight of this is 4 to 5 pounds)
1 pound chicken livers (optional)
1 large container plain Greek yogurt (I use about half of the 35 ounce container)
1 can pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling – it must be pure pumpkin)
Nupro Ferret Supplement (optional)
Ferretone (about 1/8 cup)
Extra virgin olive oil (about 1/8 to 1/4 cup)
You can make this soup using either a crock pot or a pressure cooker. You will need enough water to
cover the chicken.
If you are using a pressure cooker, cook the chicken for 4- 41/2 hours if the chicken is frozen or for about
3 ½ hours if it is thawed; if you are using a crock pot, cook the chicken for about 24 hours. If you are
using a crock pot, you may need to add water during the cooking process. The chicken should be tender
enough that the bones are soft. If you are using the chicken livers, put them into the crockpot near the
end of the cooking process. If you are using the chicken livers and cooking the chicken in a pressure
cooker, you can cook them separately in a bit of water and add them to the cooked chicken after you
have released the pressure.
Let the chicken and broth cool a bit. It’s easier to blend if it is warm, but not hot. Using either a blender
or a food processor, blend the chicken (with the bones) in batches, adding enough of the broth or water
to make it blend easily. Add some of the yogurt, some of the pumpkin, and a few scoops of the Nupro,
if you are using it, to each blenderful of chicken and broth, so that it mixes in well. The soup should be
thin enough to pour, but thick enough to not be too liquid.
As each blenderful of soup is well-blended, pour it into a large bowl. Once you have blended all of the
chicken, add the olive oil and Ferretone and mix it all up well.
The soup freezes well. Some freeze it in ice cube trays; others freeze it in Tupperware containers.
When you thaw the soup, you can either serve it as is, dilute it with a bit of water, add a bit of heavy
cream to it, or mix Bravo chicken blend raw food (also great for ferrets) with it. Some ferrets prefer
their soup heated a little, others will eat it cold. You can experiment with it to see what your ferret
prefers.
ferrets will readily eat kibble, it’s good to get ferrets accustomed to consuming high-protein, easy to eat
foods, so if they get sick, they will be used to eating it and they will get the nutrition they need. This recipe for homemade chicken soup is easy to make and is great for ferrets. Some people use it
as part of their ferret’s daily diet, and others use it as a treat. Many people modify the recipe to suit
their ferret’s taste. You can use this as a starting point and see how your ferrets do with it. Feel free to
experiment with the combination of ingredients.
HOMEMADE CHICKEN SOUP FOR FERRETS
1 whole chicken OR 1 family pack of chicken thighs OR 1 package of chicken leg quarters (the average
weight of this is 4 to 5 pounds)
1 pound chicken livers (optional)
1 large container plain Greek yogurt (I use about half of the 35 ounce container)
1 can pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling – it must be pure pumpkin)
Nupro Ferret Supplement (optional)
Ferretone (about 1/8 cup)
Extra virgin olive oil (about 1/8 to 1/4 cup)
You can make this soup using either a crock pot or a pressure cooker. You will need enough water to
cover the chicken.
If you are using a pressure cooker, cook the chicken for 4- 41/2 hours if the chicken is frozen or for about
3 ½ hours if it is thawed; if you are using a crock pot, cook the chicken for about 24 hours. If you are
using a crock pot, you may need to add water during the cooking process. The chicken should be tender
enough that the bones are soft. If you are using the chicken livers, put them into the crockpot near the
end of the cooking process. If you are using the chicken livers and cooking the chicken in a pressure
cooker, you can cook them separately in a bit of water and add them to the cooked chicken after you
have released the pressure.
Let the chicken and broth cool a bit. It’s easier to blend if it is warm, but not hot. Using either a blender
or a food processor, blend the chicken (with the bones) in batches, adding enough of the broth or water
to make it blend easily. Add some of the yogurt, some of the pumpkin, and a few scoops of the Nupro,
if you are using it, to each blenderful of chicken and broth, so that it mixes in well. The soup should be
thin enough to pour, but thick enough to not be too liquid.
As each blenderful of soup is well-blended, pour it into a large bowl. Once you have blended all of the
chicken, add the olive oil and Ferretone and mix it all up well.
The soup freezes well. Some freeze it in ice cube trays; others freeze it in Tupperware containers.
When you thaw the soup, you can either serve it as is, dilute it with a bit of water, add a bit of heavy
cream to it, or mix Bravo chicken blend raw food (also great for ferrets) with it. Some ferrets prefer
their soup heated a little, others will eat it cold. You can experiment with it to see what your ferret
prefers.