by M.P.O.
There are several good coop walks being published today. The main thing about coop walking is - Take good care of your fowl and be regular with their feeding time. Generally speaking, a mixture of 1/3 whole corn, 1/3 laying pellets, and 1/3 oats, that have been soaked overnight, is a good feed mixture. A little Calf Manna, a pinch of fresh meat or dog food, and plenty of fresh green stuff is always good for game fowl in confinement.
The soaked oats is excellent for helping fowl retain their proper moisture balance. Fowl have a tendency to dry-out and become stale in confinement. The soaked oats will off set this tendency.
Worming is very important. I use Donell-Blemel worming treatment. This consists of a level teaspoon of lye to a gallon of water. The water-lye solution is poured over the oats to the point that the oats are thoroughly covered. The oats are allowed to soak overnight and are fed to game fowl for three consecutive days each month, giving no other feed whatever. Give the fowl all the oats they will eat during this three day period.
I have found that my fowl cut better with the knives, right out of the fly pen. When fighting out of a small stall, it seems that the fowl don't cut nearly as well. Their movements are too restricted in a small stall, the same as ours would be if we were placed into a small closet several days before an important athletic event.
Fowl are brought in from the coop walk, where they have been scratched in deep litter, down to nearly their proper fighting weight. They are checked for any defects, muffed a short session, checked for lice, dusted, and given nothing to eat for at least 24 hours. Then; I give a "ZIP" tablet, followed by all the bread and milk they will eat.
After the fowl are cleaned out with the "ZIP" routine, I clean their pens and put in about 6 inches of fresh straw.
During the first week of the keep, I count out 6 grains of corn and toss them into the straw after each work session. The lst week of the keep, no corn is tossed inot the straw, as I want them to loosen up so that they will cut properly with the knives.
Fowl are muffed again after about a week in keep, to re-check for any defects I might have missed during the first muffing session. Water is left in front of the fowl at all times during this keep, unless otherwise specified.
Fowl in this keep are worked only once per day, early moring. It isn't necessary to work fowl any more than that, as it takes the sharp edge off them. Fowl should be only flirted. Under no condition should a cocker use a tail-pull pole, tilt table, or run fowl on the table. These exercise methods definitely retard a fowl's reach and cutting ability with the knives.
I have always used the "Rockabye" system of working fowl. Ths is - stand up to the table with the fowl facing away frm you, flirt him forward and backward, increasing daily the number of flirts and the speed. The faster you flirt your rooster, the faster he will fight. Flirting alternatly forward and backward gives your rooster his proper "Battle Balance." Don't work at all the day before the battle. Just handle and pet your rooster gently on this day. He needs rest.
Gradually work up to a total of 30 flirts each morning. Some fowl are slow to take theirwork, so be patient and gentle in this matter. If a roster isn't in proper condition with 30 flirts, there isn't any use wasting your time with him, as he is a dub.
Bring your water to a brisk boil and put in a cup of pop corn (or hard flint corn) and a cup of brown rice. Let the boiling continue for 10 minutes, then; add a cup of "Quick" barley and a cup of raisens. Let this mixture boil for 10 more minutes, a total of minutes in all. (If; whole grain barley is used, this whole grain barley must be put into the hot water along with the corn and rice.)
After being boiled the prescribed 20 minutes, this feed mixture is drained immediately and alowed to cool overnight. Then; the next morning, a large can (13oz) of evaporated milk is added to this feed and stirred briskly, then; set into the refrigerator until used. (This feed can be kept for a week with no ill effects to fowl.)
The most desireable way to feed game fowl is twice a day. However; if a mans work holds him until ark, it is much better to feed fowl once early every morning just after they are worked. They shouldn't be bothered at all after sundown. Fowl begin sleeping and resting at that time.
You cannot clog or crop bind a roster with this feed mixture. Therefore you can feed your fowl all they will eat and throw. This isn't a fattening feed, as the milk and raisens keep a fowls intestines working constantly and the rooster will actually reduce down to his proper fighting weight with this feed.
My experience has been that stags will eat about three heaping Davis Measures of this feed per day, while cocks will only eat about two heaping measures. My recommendation would be to feed the fowl all they will eat and throw by the next moring, if; you want to show strong and bright fowl in the pit. Let me repeat - this is not a fattening feed. This is a reducing feed carrying words of strength and health.
This fed should be stirred every day so that the fowl retain their proper moisture, and also note that the top of the feed container should fit snug, so that the proper moisture is retained during refrigeration.
Put one cup of brown rice inot a pot of boiling water. Let boil for 10 minutes. Then; add one cup of "Quick" barley and let this mixture boil another 10 minutes, a total of 20 minutes in all. (If; whole grain barley is used, the whole grain barley should be boiled 20 minutes along with the rice.)
This pointing feed is drained immediately and set aside to cool overnight. When feed is thoroughly cooled, it is stirred well and then covered with evaporated milk. Drain immediately, for at least 20 minutes. Caution - Do not stir this feed before draining, or else the feed will pick up too much milk and ruin your pointing procedure.
No water is given on the battle day.
Upon arrival at the pit, on the battle day, give each fowl a level Davis Measure of the point feed, making a note of the time on a scratch pad. This is known as your first feed.
Exactly one hour from your first feed, and every hour thereafter, give each rooster a levet teaspoon of this point feed, taking the feed off the top of the mixture. Remember - Don't stir this feed at all. Feed your fowl every hour until they are heeled for their battle.
You will notice that your fowl will begin hitting their peak sometime about the two hour mark, after their first feed. And; they will hold their peak as long as you continue with this procedure. It's very important that you make a note of every feed time, spacing them an hour apart, as they will throw this amount of feed. They should not be fed any more or less.
The point feed is wonderful after-battle feed. Just add some water and give your rooster a good feed after his battle. It is also and excellent travel-feed. Just give your fowl whatever water they want and about 1/2 as much point feed, as they normally get of the keep feed. Your fowl will retain their strength and will never go off keep. This feed is very cooling, nourishing, and a wonderful after-battle fever retardant.
This chart is the result of my long years fighting the game rooster. I always make it a point to arrive at the pit at least 3 hours before the battle. It takes that long for a cock to settle down in a new cockhouse, even if the rooster was brought only 100 yards away from his old cockhouse. Being in a new cockhouse will stir up a roster. It takes little time and some careful pointing to bring him to his proper battle peak.
| Distance Traveled Time Required | |
| Up to 100 miles | 3 hours rest |
| 100 to 200 miles | 4 hours rest |
| 200 to 300 miles | 5 hours rest |
| 300 to 400 miles | 6 hours rest |
| 400 to 500 miles | 7 hours rest |
I have made a good living and lifetime study of game fowl. It takes a good fighting roster and the very best of care and pointing in order to win in our pits today. The most important thing is to set every cock down equally sharp, which can be done if you follow this keep closely.
Always give an "IT" tablet on Firday night and another one on Saturday night, for Sunday battles. "IT" tablets are a blood coagulant-mild stimulant in a vitamin-mineral base. Your rooster will stop drinking water soon after the first "IT" tablet is given. He will begin to point himself and will fight much sharper than ever before.
Every small detail is important when working with game fowl. If; you will follow this keep right, you will be surprised at the sharpness of your fowl, and; you will also enjoy the winnings you take home.
- Mr. M.P.O.
Philippine Islands
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