Hi Holly,
I have been through quite a few sick ferrets and came up with a soup that
my ferrets absolutely love.  They all get it at least once a day to
supplement their diet and recovering ferrets are hand fed by a spoon 3x
daily.
 
For one ferret, start with one pound of ground chicken or ground turkey.
Slowly simmer on stovestop with about one gallon of water, mashing up while
cooking with a potato masher.  Add a pinch or so of dried minced garlic
while simmering.  After half an hour or so, remove from stove, add 4 cups
or more of totally ferret or a healthy ferret kibble to the soup.  Allow
to cool and swell for an hour or so.  Add 2 jars of chicken or turkey
baby food (gerber) and mix.  Add half a Tablespoon of ferretone (eight
in 1 brand), a few squirts of ferrevite, half a Tablespoon of furrotone
(Marshalls brand) and if you have it a tsp of NUPRO (available at "The
Ferretstore", it's an all natural ferret supplement), also a few drops of
"Ferret Drops", a vitamin supplement with liver and iron , fortified with
antioxidants available at the Ferretstore also.  Mix all this together
well and put in a food processor and grind till fine.  If too thick, add
water, a little at a time.  You DON'T want it too thick like a pudding
consistancy , nor watery.
 
Pour into small freezable containers (or ice cube trays for individual
servings-2 to 3 cubes at a time).  Keep one small container in refrigerator
for use within 3 days (feed about 1/4 cup or as much as the ferret will eat
at a sitting, 3x a day).
 
You may find that each time you have to force feed them to lick it off your
finger to eat or eat out of a spoon sitting in your lap ( yes, I spoil my
kids ).  They always seem to reject it at first until forced to taste it a
few times off your finger.
 
If you use ice cube trays, remove from trays and put in freezer safe
containers or bags and take about 6-8 cubes out of freezer the night before
using and allow to thaw.  Always WARM SLIGHTLY (test with your finger and
mix thoroughly before serving if using a microwave - 15 to 20 seconds is
usually plenty.)
 
This recipe has always worked great for me and my ferrets add weight easily
with this recipe.  If you use baby food, once a jar is opened I believe it
says that it should be used within 2 or 3 days after opening (check label).
Try this recipe with your own variation- the vitamins aren't needed, I just
add it for extra measure!  They love it better than duck soup!!!!!
 
Eleanor
[Posted in FML issue 3524]