by Teddy Tanchanco
Let me reveal to you what some cockers call "secrets" in conditioning
of gamecocks for the pit. For starters, let us talk about feeding.
Some cockers say that the secret in the proper conditioning of
gamecocks is feeding. It is undeniable that feeding plays a very
important role in conditioning, but let us bear in mind that feeding
should be considered in relation to other factors, a trainer must
monitor while preparing his set of feathered warriors. With due respect
to other trainers, please consider that what I am about to say here is
only what I personally do.
First of all, before going into a "14 days KEEP", we must select
candidates. If you are to fight a 5-cock derby, simply multiply the
number of cocks for an entry (say, 5) by three (3) to come up with the
number of candidates you must choose (thus, 15). It is assumed that
these cocks went through a pre-conditioning process where they are in
good flesh, healthy and full breasted, but without gut fat or "sapola".
It is best that they are about 200 grams higher than their best
fighting weight observed during the pre-conditioning. It is better to
lower a cock�s weight during the KEEP rather than to increase it, which
will take a lot more time, effort and uncertainty. Remember that we
will do a 14-days KEEP, not 21 or 30.
Now, "what is the correct fighting weight?" you may ask. The best
fighting weight is that weight where your cock fought best during the
spars conducted while he is in the pre-conditioning. In the
pre-conditioning stage, record each cock�s weight before every spar.
Grade his fight according to your preference. He might be good, very
good, excellent or neutral during these sparring sessions. In at least
five (5) sparrings, you must be able to know his best fighting weight.
Consider the weight where he fought best as his best fighting weight.
Give your candidates only bread soaked in milk as flushing feed on the
day of your selection. Deworm them the usual way, and delouse by simply
spraying on the feathers. Do not deep the cocks in water. Now they are
all cleaned up, inside and out.
To avoid disease and other infections during the KEEP, I inject
Combiotic (only 1cc. per bird) on the breast of each cock on the first
day.
For the feeds during the KEEP, I try to maintain a 16% crude protein
(C.P.) level from day one up to the eleventh (1-11). To achieve this,
mix several ingredients as follows:
50% - whole corn
20% - red wheat
10% - whole oats or jockey oats
10% - Royal Pigeon Feed
10% - Pellets (16% C.P.)
Corn is the staple food of fowl which supplies a lot of carbohydrates
and some proteins. I use red wheat instead of the white one because red
wheat is easier to digest, and it has a higher protein level than the
white. If you can't find Royal Pigeon Feed, you may substitute this
with 5% green peas and 5% yellow peas in the ration. These feedstuffs
supply most of the proteins in the cock�s diet. The 10% Pellets
indicated above may be Holding Ration Pellets or simply Pigeon Pellets.
Just make sure that the pellets you use contain 16% crude protein. Look
at the packaging for this information. The above proportions are
measured in dry weight.
All grains are soaked in water for at least 9 hours. Right after each
feeding, soak the grains you will need for the next. Soaking increases
seed moisture and stimulates germination. Germinated grains produce
more proteins. Legumes, like green peas and soybeans, must be heated or
germinated to make their crude protein metabolizable. Otherwise, we
cannot utilized the proteins from these grains. Mix the grains with the
pellets only at feeding time. You now have what is called your base
feed.
To this base feed, add some white of hard boiled eggs. Chop finely one
(1) white of a hard boiled egg for every four or five cocks. This
supplies some proteins and help retain moisture inside the cock�s body
during this time. Hard boiled egg is given to the cocks all throughout
the KEEP (day 1 to 14).
Aside from hard boiled eggs, add bulk (fiber), and natural vitamins and
minerals to your feed by mixing finely chopped tomatoes or cabbage or
lettuce. These veggies should make up 20% of your feed mixture, while
the other 80% is from the base feed with hard boiled eggs. We use
volume measurements now, instead of weights. If we take one (1)
tablespoon as 20%, then we can mix (1) heaping tablespoons of veggies
to four (4) heaping tablespoons of the base feed to make a hundred
percent (100%). This will be the final make up of your feed from day 1
to 11.
Provide the cocks a steady supply of grits from day 1 to 9 of the KEEP.
Grits help the cocks digest the feed and keep the gizzard
well-exercised. They remain in the gizzard for about a week. Thus,
grits are withheld 5 days before the fight to empty the gizzard not
only of feeds, but also grits, on fight day.
Feed the cocks on a regular basis. Always feed on the same exact time
everyday. I give my morning feed at 7 a.m. and the afternoon feed at 4
p.m. Give each cock two (2) heaping tablespoons of the feed mixture
mentioned above. This is about 30 to 40 grams of feed per cock. During
the day, the cocks should be crop empty by 2 or 3 p.m. to show that
their digestive systems functions well. It takes only six (6) to seven
(7) hours for feeds to be digested in the body of the fowl. If one
becomes crop-bound before the afternoon feed, take him out of the KEEP.
I like cocks which are voracious eaters and fast grinders. These show
that their system is really at work. Picky cocks or those which leave
feeds in their cups must be experiencing something unpleasant. They
must be observed and treated for any disease, and sent back to
pre-conditioning. Try always to observe the cocks in KEEP before,
during and after feeding. If possible, observe them the whole day,
everyday, and even during their sleep.
With this feeding system, we expect the cocks to loose that extra 200
grams off their weight in the beginning of the KEEP. Therefore, daily
monitoring of weights is necessary. Weigh the cocks in the morning
before feeding. A cock should lower his weight by as much as ten (10)
to twenty (20) grams per day and arrive at his best fighting weight on
the 11th day of the KEEP or on the last three (3) days before fight
day. If one loses 50 or more grams within a span of 24 hours, the cock
must be sick or incapable of bearing stress in the KEEP. Back to the
pre-conditioning he goes. Three (3) days before the fight, we do the
Carbo-Loading Technique.
Carbohydrates is the main source of energy for cocks in training. Like
human athletes getting ready for competition, the gamecock must store
enough energy in his body to be used during the fight for his life. The
critical days in conditioning which are the last three (3) days before
the fight, finds the trainer wanting to load up his gamecock with as
much energy as possible to give him that power he will need. This is
done by "Carbo-Loading".
Simply put, "Carbo-Loading" means the technique of increasing or
"loading up" of carbohydrates in the diet of gamecocks during the last
three (3) days of the Keep as a part of "pointing".
The objective here is to increase the available metabolizable energy
(M.E.) in the cock�s body that will be used during the actual fight.
This is achieved by increasing the caloric content of the feeds given
to the fowl. From the 16% crude protein base feed we have given from
the first to the 11th day of the Keep, we gradually increase the amount
of carbohydrates to 75% or 80% in the last 3 days. Gradually, so as not
to upset the digestive system of the cocks.
To the base feed, for every 100 grams, add 10% corn, or an equivalent
of 10 grams of corn on the 12th day, 20 grams on the 13th day, and 30
grams on the 14th, for a total of 80% corn in the ration on the 14th
day. Thus, the total amount of protein decreases, while carbohydrates
increases. The usual amount of two (2) tablespoonsful of feed is given
to the cocks daily, morning and afternoon.
Why use corn? First of all, feeding corn gives your gamecock that
"snap" everytime he hits his opponent. Just compare cocks fed with corn
to those which are not. Gamecocks that have corn in their diet feel
more fleshy or muscular although a bit heavier, while cocks with no
corn feel loose to the touch.
Corn is my choice for carbo-loading because corn has the high amounts
of carbohydrates (metabolized energy) compared to other feedstuff. The
table below shows the amount of nutrients available from common feed
ingredients found in grains used as conditioning feeds. We can see that
oat groats (dehulled) has the highest metabolized energy (3400 Kilo
calories) followed by corn with 3366 Kcal. However, oat groats is also
high in crude fats. This will tend to bring about "sapola" or gut fat
in the cock. Experience also tells me that feeding more oat groats turn
the droppings very green and take away that "snap" from the cock�s
buckles. Thus I prefer corn which also has high metabolized energy, but
low in fats. This metabolized energy is stored in the body of the fowl
for at least 2 days before it is transformed into fats if not used
during this time.
On the last 3 days before the fight, soaking of the grains is usually
regulated. Moisture in the body of the cock is dictated by various
conditions, both of the cock, and his environment. Because of these,
water intake is managed during the last three (3) days of the Keep.
Feedstuff Crude Crude Metabolized Energy
Protein % Fat % M.E.(Kcal./Kg.)
Barley 11.5 1.9 2620
Corn 08.9 3.5 3366
Green Peas 22.0 1.0 2600
Oats (whole) 11.0 4.0 2550
Oat Groats 16.0 6.0 3400
Red Rice 07.3 1.7 2670
Sunflower Seed 42.0 2.3 1760
Wheat (trigo) 13.5 1.9 2620
Data derived from: The Merck Veterinary Manual, Seventh Edition
A gamecock�s body is at least 65% water. From this fact alone, we can
see that water is really an important element in the proper
conditioning of our fowl. Let�s dig deeper. Why are we so concerned
about water and moisture, in the first place? To properly condition
cocks, we have what we call their "peak", meaning to say, they are �On
Point� or in layman�s term, they are in their lowest possible weight,
but still with their greatest strength or power. We can effect this
through the correct management of moisture and water for the fowl.
Water specifically affects a gamecock in training in two ways: 1) as a
supply of moisture needed by the body for normal bodily functions, and
2) as a temperature regulator. For digestion, water acts on the grains
and pellets as a solvent and helps in fermentation. Feeds taken by the
cocks during mealtime are stored in the crop where it undergoes
fermentation. At this point, acids, proteins and carbohydrates are
further enhanced before they are passed on to the gizzard for further
digestion. Thus, whenever a cock gets crop-bound, we must do all we can
to empty his crop of the fermented feeds lest he will die from the
poisons these might produce. Without the right amount of water, proper
digestion and fermentation of feeds will not take place and can
endanger the life of your beloved fowl. So, keep a watchful eye on how
you feed and water your gamecocks, specially while they are in
training.
From day 1 to 11 in our conditioning program, water is always present
before the cocks right after feeding. Moisture is also assured by
soaking the grains overnight. However, on the 12th day, you as a
conditioner/trainer must have what I call a clinical eye and be very
careful is assessing the condition of each fowl. While observing your
fowl, ask yourself the following questions: How much water does your
cock consume or drink during the day? One way of doing this is to draw
a line inside his feeding/drinking pot right on the first day of the
Keep to remember the actual amount of water you put in each morning. By
night fall, get that which remains of the water in the pot and measure
it using a graduated beaker. By the tenth day, you can more or less
predict how much water each cock will drink in a day. On the 12th day
of the Keep, watch how much he drinks. Is the cock eating his usual
amount of feeds? How does he respond to carbo-loading?
On the 12th day, we have started adjusting the carbohydrates content of
the feeds, remember? If the cock has the right amount of moisture in
his body by this time, he is suppose to eat the same amount of feeds he
is accustomed to. How are his droppings? Are they watery, dry, or
moist?
We gauge the fowl�s body moisture by observing their droppings. By
moist, we mean, the droppings do not splatter when voided, but have the
right texture and form when dropped. Try stepping on it lightly and if
it sticks to your shoe, then it has the right moisture. Also, watch
your cock as he defecate or move his bowels. If he is having a hard
time passing his stool, he must be too dry. If he is too dry, he won�t
cut. If he is too wet, he will be sluggish and won�t cut accurately.
How is the weather? Is it cloudy day, sunny, warm, rainy or hot?
During hot summer months, the cock will certainly drink more water to
regain lost moisture and at the same time to regulate his body
temperature. A feverish cock will drink water more frequently, than a
cock which has the right body temperature. Consequently, their
droppings will be very watery.
The wind also makes the cocks dry. Although their temperature might be
alright, loss of water through the skin and feathers is greatly
affected by the wind or air current. You might not notice, but your
cocks may already be too dry although they would rather stay on the
roost because the wind is too cold.
During the rainy months, infections abound. These infections like CRD
and Coryza make cocks feverish. Cocks might not show the clinical signs
at first, but you will notice that they drink often not just to regain
moisture but also to regulate body temperature. They are feverish. Get
them out of the Keep.
The range of a cock�s body temperature during the Keep is between 38.5o
to 39.5o Celsius. This is their normal body temperature. Use a rectal
thermometer to measure your cock�s temperature. Finally, how does each
cock feel to the touch? This is something no medical or scientific
means to tell you. You have to have the feel for properly conditioned
cocks. American cockers call this "corky", maybe referring to the light
feeling when you hold the cock in your hands.
When held, some cocks are full-bodied and heavy, and tight muscled.
Some are thin, light and loose, while others are thin, heavy and tight.
Still others are thin, heavy and loose. We are looking for a cock which
is full-bodied but light and a bit loose. If they feel tight-muscled,
they maybe muscle-bound. We don�t want this on fight day. Muscle-bound
cocks have muscles still suffering from fatigue. When we say "loose",
we mean relaxed muscles. Properly toned muscles have that tension and
looseness in them. Always check their weight through your record book.
Your cock must be in his best fighting weight. On this 12th day, we are
looking for loose muscles because for the next two (2) days we shall
try to make the cocks tighter and dryer.
If your cocks have been properly conditioned, they will drink less
water for the rest of the Keep. In case, on this 12th day, you find
your fowl�s droppings watery, or too dry, you still have the 13th and
14th day to make adjustments.
The day, Fight Day, is the most critical day when fighting your
gamecock. On this day, just hours before the actual fight, the cock�s
condition must be at its peak. We achieve this through a procedure
called Pointing.
Pointing is the process wherein the cock is made to be in his lowest
possible weight, yet still with his greatest strength. Cocks in this
condition are said to be at their "peak" or "On Point". A cock coming
to point must have glossy feathers, bright red face, moist droppings,
red watery eyes, alert and relaxed, and with normal body temperature.
But before pointing your cock, I think some explanation about joining a
derby is in order. Derbies are usually held in the evenings up to the
early morning hours. In Bigtime Derbies, submission of weights is done
a day before and the fight schedule comes out in the afternoon. For
smalltime derbies, submission of weights is in the morning on fight
day.
Morning, before submission of weights, before feeding, limber the cocks
in folding scratch-pens and observe their droppings. Wait �til a cock
passes his stool before weighing him. From each cock�s weight, subtract
30-50 grams and submit this to the cockpit as the weights of your
entries. Bad weight or weight 40 grams over your declared weight is
fined during derbies. The cock loses weight during pointing and 30
grams is a more or less safe margin for this. For example, if your
actual weight is 2.1 kg., subtract 30 grams from that, and declare
2.070 kg. as the weight of your entry, 2.110 kg. is your bad weight. On
the time of fight, your cock will surely weigh less than 2.1 kg.
because of pointing. Even if your cock does not lose weight during
pointing, you are still in the allowable weight limit. Remember to
calibrate your weighing scale to that of the cockpit�s where you will
fight.
Time of fight is also important. A cock digests his normal feed in 6 to
8 hours and fully absorb the nutrients in another 4 to 6 hours. So, try
to know your fight schedule to program your feeding time beforehand. If
your fight is 6 p.m., count 6 to 8 hours backwards (about 12 noon) and
feed your cock � his regular ration of pointing feed. By 6 p.m., he
must be empty and On Point.
When pointing, it is better to under feed than to overfeed. Feel the
cock�s crop and see that it has nothing in it. If a grain or two can be
observed, feed less than � his normal ration. Empty crops don�t mean
that the gizzard and other digestive organs are also empty. To be sure
that no feed still exists in the cock�s body, feed less.
Now comes the essential part of pointing, moisture. Once in the
cockpit, rest the cocks for at least 30 minutes before giving 3 to 5
dips of water. This will encourage bowel movement. As explained in
previously, moisture can be gauged only by observing the cock�s
droppings. There are four (4) stages or sequence of changes that occur
with the cock�s droppings when we conduct pointing procedures. First is
the usual moist and firm droppings which must be seen in the morning
just before weighing the cock and after the last feeding. Next, when
the cock has emptied his gut of the fibers and other waste materials
from the feeds, you will observe what I call "cecal droppings". This is
the brown sticky smelly kind of droppings the cock pass from time to
time during the Keep. But now, "cecal droppings" is an indication of
emptying out of the intestines. You will also observe that some moist
green droppings with white toppings still come out but are increasingly
getting smaller. When the cock is really empty (from the crop to the
large intestines), what I call "moisture droppings" will appear. These
look like whitish mucus about two (2) inches in diameter. They become
smaller as pointing progresses. The cock may be said to be On Point
when the size of moisture droppings are as small as a twenty-five (25)
centavo coin and a little bit sticky.
A peculiar movement I have observed with cocks On Point is what I call
the "head knocking" syndrome. Coming to their peak, the cocks start to
knock their heads (something like twitching as in a person with a tic).
This must be observed while limbering prior to the actual fight. It is
difficult to describe the movement in writing, but once you�ve seen
this knocking movement, this is a sign that the cock is already in his
peak. Another sign is when the pupil of the eyes start to dilate. But
sometimes, this is not reliable.
These are all signs of being at their peak. Be careful not to overshoot
their peak lest your cock will be "off".
The "off syndrome" comes right after the peak. This means that they
have already used up all the nutrients and energy available in their
body, and hunger have started taking its toll. Some cockers aver that
"off syndrome" is due to drug overdose, constipation or being
coop-stale. Often, a drug overdosed cock will be listless. A
constipated one will show no interest in fighting since he is
preoccupied with his bowel movement and a coop-stale cock is sluggish
and sleepy. But primarily, I think the real cause of the "off syndrome"
is hunger. You might say that making the cock hungry is what we are
doing during pointing. Yes, partly correct, since we withhold feeds,
but remember that nutrients are still absorbed by the body even after
the grains and other stuff are already digested. Once the nutrients are
consumed, hunger will be coupled with lack of energy and essential
nutrients which makes the situation very critical and harmful. In
pointing, we want the cocks to be empty but not hungry. Thus, while
limbering before the actual fight, a cock which is jittery, easily
agitated, and crazy for food, is "off". He has his mind on food, not on
the fight.
To extend the point, you may feed a few grains of cracked corn or �
teaspoon of your pointing feed a few hours before limbering. To hasten
the onset of the point, feed less in your last feeding. The point
cannot be maintained once it sets in. It progresses, so time your
pointing procedure well that the actual fight falls within the 4 to 6
hours that the peak period is in.
To avoid the "off syndrome", know the right amount and correct
administration of drugs you are using. Avoid constipation and
coop-staleness by limbering often and checking your room temperature in
case it is too cold. Feel the cock for any signs of fever. This is a
sure indication of being "off" and sick. If too much moisture is
noticed thru the droppings, give a few pellets or cracked corn to draw
out body moisture. However, a cock which loses 70 grams or more on
fight day must not be fought. He must be sick. If ever he gains weight
while pointing (which I think will never happen), there is no cause for
alarm if he is empty.
There are a thousand and one ways of training a gamecock. Different
trainers have different styles and different procedures. In my years of
cocking, I have looked up to local and foreign cocking greats whom I
happened to meet and have acquainted myself with during those years.
Meeting the likes of James Pope and Buddy Mann proved very informative
and helpful in my personal quest for proper training of my gamecocks.
For James Pope, sparring is the best exercise or training for roosters;
for Buddy Mann, it is a combination of natural exercises and table
work-outs. From them and from my personal experience, I share to you
most of what I know about exercises during the Keep.
Since my first sparring session, I have noticed that everytime a cock
fights, he pants; he pants heavily specially during summer months; he
also pants excessively when he has too much moisture in his body.
Therefore, the main concern of a trainer during the Keep is to develop
the cock�s coping mechanisms to lessen panting. Panting is a sign that
the cock�s body system is stressed such that his heart beat increases
to supply more oxygen to his organs. Respiration is naturally agitated.
Exercises further enhance the cock�s coping mechanisms.
First of all, I would like to make it clear that training a gamecock
really begins from the time he was hatched. Proper rearing and
nutrition are, for the most part, the backbone of training. One cannot
do much in a 21 or 14 day Keep, other than to keep the cocks alert,
increase their stamina and tone the muscles. Power comes with breeding,
and muscles are developed during the rearing stage and
pre-conditioning. Training should help promote flexibility, strength,
muscle toning, contouring and cardiovascular endurance. No amount of
exertions can improve the constitution, circulatory and respiratory
capabilities of sickly birds. So, start them while they are young and
properly care for them while they grow.
During the Keep, a trainer aims to make the cocks always alert because
this is precisely what they need during the battle. Agility, reflex and
quick thinking is an asset in fights lasting, sometimes, for just a few
seconds. You must avoid what we call "Boredom Disease Syndrome" where
the animals mope, become listless and disinterested.
Another objective of doing exercises during the Keep is to tone the
muscles of the cocks. Toning is different from muscle development as
the latter is gained during the growing and pre-conditioning stages,
while toning is simply working on what you already have. With toned
muscles, the cocks are relaxed, not muscle-bound and never coop-stale.
There are several views regarding training exercises for fightingcocks.
Most older cockers before, subscribe to the "manual" or table exercises
which mean the trainer�s supervision and handling to exercise the
cocks. This finds the necessity of various exercises like the
"tailing", flies, flips, turn-overs, etc. Other advocate the �natural�
or not much human interference on the movements of cocks in training.
This brought about the Rotation Method and the use of fly pens, and
scratch boxes to exercise cocks. Both systems have their own advantages
and disadvantages, and I feel a combination of both is necessary to
exercise gamecocks properly.
The Rotation Method. Rotation here simply means the transfer of cocks
from the cord, to the fly pen, to the scratch box, to the resting
coops, then back to the cord or tee-pee. For this method, a trainer
must have a fly-pen measuring 12� in length, 4� wide and 12� high. If
you could have pens with bigger dimensions, the better. There must be
an adjustable roost which can be positioned 4, 6, or 8 feet above the
ground. The litter floor is a mixture of horse manure, river sand, and
garden soil. The loose texture of the ground cushions the cock�s
landing and also encourage them to do some dusting.
The Scratch Box. The scratch box, on the other hand, is made of wood
with the following dimensions: 3� long, 3� wide, and 3� high. Make it
high enough so that the wings are not obstructed when the cock flaps
them. The box should have wooden floors to ensure proper extension of
the legs when the rooster scratch with a full swing of the legs
extending back. Scratch materials like corn schucks, banana leaves, or
hay must be placed in the box. The box is intended for scratching, not
dusting, so don�t put soil in it.
The Tee-pee. The tee-pee or cord area should be their sleeping grounds,
and where they catch the morning dew and sun-bathe in the morning.
Position your tee-pees facing East or where sunlight casts its rays in
the morning.
The Coop. A special coop for resting is also needed when you do
rotations. This is a small coop measuring 2� wide, 2� long and 2� tall.
The cocks are brought here to rest during the day � a kind of a siesta
place.
The rotation is done by transferring the cock from one pen to the other
after spending some time in it. When transferring from one pen to the
next, always wash the cock�s face and legs before placing him in the
next pen. Use a mist sprayer with Vet Rx. This opens their lungs and
improves their breathing. In the scratch box, encourage scratching by
throwing in � teaspoon oat groats per bird. For the first day, place a
little scratch materials and let the cock scratch for only five (5)
minutes. On the second, increase the amount of scratch materials and
increase the duration of scratching to 10 minutes. Increase the amount
of the scratching materials and the duration of the scratching up to
the 7th day where the materials are almost 6 inches deep and the
duration of the exercise, 30 minutes long. Starting on the 8th day,
decrease the amount of scratching materials and the duration of the
exercise in such a way that you reach zero on the 12th day of the Keep.
There are different materials used as scratch for light and heavy
exercises. I use banana leaves for light scratching done only during
the summer months, and use corn schucks or sugar cane leaves for heavy
scratching done only during the cold months. Hay can be classified as
an in-between type of scratch material. You yourself must decide
whether your cock needs light or heavy exercises and adjust
accordingly.
Do the scratching exercise when the cock is hungry or else, you will
never get the desired results. I place my cocks in scratch boxes as
early as 4 in the morning when they start to feel their hunger coming
in. After scratching, I pick him up, wash his face and feet, then
return him to the tee-pee for sun and dew.
By 7 a.m., I feed the cocks their conditioning ration for the day. You
may find a discussion on the conditioning feeds I prepare in the I.
Feeding During The KEEP.
At 9 a.m. take the cocks from the cord, wash their faces and feet, and
place each in their respective fly pens until noon.
At 12 noon, place them in the resting coops. This resting should not be
more than 2 hours to prevent coop-staleness.
By 2 p.m. get a pair of the rested cocks and do a "salida" or do a
"kahig" and allow them two buckles while holding on to their tails.
After the "salida", place the cocks again on cord while they await
feeding. During the night, we do the table workouts.
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