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21 DAY CONDITIONING METHOD

DOSAGE

DAILYROUTINE

1 WASH OUT SHAMPOO

SPARRING DAY
MIX 1 SACCHET TO 2 GALLONS GOOD FOR 8-10 COCKS 0630: TEST FIGHT
0730: FEEDING TIME 1000: BATH AND SUNDRY

1100: SCRATCHING PEN WITH BANANA OR CORN LEAVES FOR 15 MINS.


AFTER SCRATCING RETURN COCK IN A SHADED TEEPEE WITH ROAST OF 7-8
FEET HIGH
1500: SCRATCHING AGAIN FOR 15 MINS 1530-1630 PUT IN LIMBERING PEN
1630 RETURN TO CORD AREA 1800= GIVE 1 CAPLET OF VERMEX-2 OR
WORMAL NO FEEDING 1900: LIMBER FOR 20 MINUTES 1930 TABLE TRAINING
GIVE 10 FLYS, 10 FLIPS 20 SEC SIDE TABLE ELECTRIC FAN SCRATCHING 2030-
0700 REST TIME.

VERMEX-2 OR WORMAL OR HAMMER DEWORMER OR CT WILLIAMS


1 CAPLET PER COCK

2 GIVE POLY B 12 + IRON OR BELAMYL / .5 CC/COCK


0730-0800= FEEDING TIME GIVE WATER AFTER FEEDING 0800-0830= SPRAY
COCK WITH WATER AND SUN DRY 0830-1100 : CORD AREA 1100-1120=
SCRATCHING FOR 20 MINS 1120-1500- CORD AREA 1500-1530 =
SCRATCHING 1530-1630 LIMBER PEN 1630= RETURN TO CORD AREA AND
FEED + WATER 1700-1900 CORD AREA 1900-1920= LIMBER PEN WITH
LIGHTS 1920-2030= TABLE TRAINING INCREASE TO 20 FLYS 20 FLIPS 20 SEC
ELECTRIC FAN SCRATCHING.

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BEE POLLEN
FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 2

4 BIO CALCIIUM
FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 2

5 RED GEL FORTE/I CAPSULE/COCK


FOLLOW DAY 2 + 1800 GIVE THE RED GEL

FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 2

7 SPARRING DAY BEE POLLEN


0600= LIMBER COCK FOR 30 MINS OBSERVE EYES, DROPPING AND WEIGH.
RECORD IF POSSIBLE 0630-0715= SPARRING 1000=BATH WITH ORDINARY
WATER AND SUN DRY FOLLOW DAY 2 DAILY ROUTITNE

8 BIO CALCIUM
FOLLOW DAY 2 DAILY ROUTINE EXCEPT SCRATCHING TIME INCREASE TO 25
MINS… NIGHT TIME INCREASE TO 30 FLYS ; 30 FLIPS AND 25 sec ELECTRIC
FAN SIDE TABLE SCRATCHING

9 INJECT 0.5 CC BELAMYL


FOLLOW DAY 8 DAILY ROUTINE

10 GIVE RED GEL FORTE AT 1800 if required


FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 8/ REPEAT DEWORMING FOR COCK IF
PARASITES WERE OBSERVE FROM HIS DROPPING, PREFERABLY GIVE CT
WILLIAMS SO THAT NO NEED TO WITHHOLD HIS AFTERNOON MEAL

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FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 8

12 SPARRING DAY
BEE POLLEN
0600 = LIMBER COCK FOR 30 MINS OBSERVE EYES, DROPPINGS AND
ALERTNESS AND RECORD WEIGHT 0630-0715 = SPARRING TIME 1000= BATH
WITH LUKEWARM WATER AND SUN DRY FOLLOW DAY 8 DAILY ROUTINE

13 BIO CALCIUM
FOLLOW DAY 8 DAILY ROUTINE BUT REDUCED SCRATCHING TIME TO 20 MINS.
TABLE EXERCISE TO 20 REPETITION AND 20sec SIDE TABLE SCRATCHING

14

FOLLOW DAY 13 DAILY ROUTINE

15 GIVE RED GEL FORTE AT 1800 if required


FOLLOW DAY 13 DAILY ROUTINE BUT REDUCED SCRATCHING TIME TO TEN
MINS, 10 FLYS ,10 FLIPS AND NO SIDE TABLE SCRATCHING. REMOVED JOCKEY
OATS FROM DAILY RATION, INSTEAD ADD MORE CORN

16 INJECT BELAMYL
FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE DAY 15

17 LAST SPARRING DAY BEE POLLEN 0600-0630= LIMBER, OBSERVE. MUST


BE VERY ALERT AND DYNAMIC .
0630-0715 = SPARRING ( 2 BUCKLES EACH ON 2 DIFFERENT FIGHTING STYLE
OPPONENT) 1000= BATH AND SUN DRY.. FOLLOW DAY 15. BUT REDUCED
SCRATCHING TO 5 MINS, 5 FLYS AND 5 FLIPS.

18 CRITICAL DAYS DAY18 TO DAY 20. ( GIVE B50 + 1/3 CENTRUM SILVER)
0700-0730 LIMBER + OBSERVE 0730 FEEDING TIME 0800-0815 SPRAY WITH
WATER + SUN DRY FOR 15 MINS. 0900-1200 RETURN TO CORD AREA WITH
OUT SUN RAY, NO DISTURBANCE, NO HEN, 1200-1400= PUT INSIDE RESTING
STALL WITH ROAST 1400-1405-SCRATCHING FOR 3-5 MINS 1405-1630
LIMBER PEN SPRAY SURROUNDINGS WITH WATER FOR COOLING EFFECT.
1630= FEEDING TIME AND CLOSELY MONITOR WATER INTAKE MUST NOT
EXCEED 12 DIPS. START OF CARBO LOADING. 1630-2000 CORD AREA EXCEPT
RAINING. 2000-2030= LIMBER + OBSERVE UNDER FLORESCENT LAMP 2030-
0700 REST TIME ON CORD AREA EXCEPT RAINING.

19 POINTING MEDICATION
( GIVE B50 + 1/3 CENTRUM SILVER)
0700-0730= LIMBER,WEIGH,OBSERVE 0730= FEEDING TIME GIVE 5 FLYS 6 FT
HIGH BEFORE FEEDING + MONITOR WATER INTAKE EXCEEDING 12 DIPS.
COCK IS SICK. MONITOR TEMP MUST BE WARM NOT HOT. 0800-0815 = SPRAY
WITH WATER AND SUN DRY DUST BATH IS GOOD PROVIDED WITH SHADE.
0900-1200= PUT INSIDE RESTING STALL WITH ROAST 1200-1230 = LIMBER
+ SCRATCHING FOR 2 MINS 1230-1600 RESTING STALL 1600-1630 = LIMBER
+ OBSERVE MUST BE ATTENTIVE AND AGILE, 1630= FEEDING TIME GIVE 5
FLYS 1630-1730 = CORD AREA .. 1730-2100 = RESTING STALL .. 2100-0700
= CORD AREA MUST BE OPEN WITH OUT DISTURBANCE EXCEPT RAINING FOR
GOOD METABOLISM DEW IS GOOD FOR COCK DIGESTION AND NORMAL
DIGESTIVE FUNCTION. CARBO LOADING IN PROGRES.

20 POINTING MEDICATION (INJECT 0.2 NUERORUBINE B1, B6, B12


manufactured by merck germany) at 1800 H 0700-0730 = LIMBER + WEIGH
+ OBSERVE, MUST BE VERYALERT, CALM AND FOCUS, ATTENTIVE WHEN
SHOWN WITH ANOTHER COCK. AVOID TOO MUCH MOVEMENT.
0730 FEEDING TIME +WATER NEVER FORGET TO GIVE 5 FLYS BEFORE MEAL.
0800-1200 RESTING STALL COVERED WITH LINEN 1200-1215 = LIMBER +
OBSERVE DROPPING 1215-1620 = RESTING STALL WITH ROAST 1600-1630 =
LIMBER .. 1630 = FEEDING TIME 1630 –1730 = CORD AREA WITH OUT
DISTURBANCE 1730-2200 = RESTING STALL 2200-0400 = CORD AREA OPEN
WITH DEW if not raining . 0400 0700 = RESTING STALL .

21 FIGHT DAY
0700-0730 LIMBER AND MUST NOT SEE A HEN OR A COCK 0730 = FEEDING
TIME ., FEED 1/4 0R 1 SCOOP OF POINTING FEED GIVE 8-10 DIPS OF WATER
(depends on breed) for sweater no feeding and 4 dips of water is acceptable.
0900 = GIVE 3 RAISINS 1000 = GIVE 3 RAISINS + LIMBER + OBSERVE
DROPPING. IF WET GIVE 5 PELLETS IF DRY GIVE 3-5 EGG WHITE PUT ON A
FEEDING CUPS WITH WATER 1100 = GIVE 3 RAISINS 1300 READY TO FIGHT
BETTER SPRAY VENT, HACKLE BEFORE LIMBERING NOT BEFORE HEELING 5
FIGHTS BEFORE SCHEDULE FIGHT.

1. LIMBER COCK EVERY NIGHT WITH FLORESCENT LAMP, TABLE TRAINING


MUST BE UNDER FLORURESCENT LAMP. 2. DON’T OVERDUE TRAINING OR
TABLE EXERCISE. IT DEPENDS ON BREED HATCHES MAKES BETTER WHEN
TRAIN HARD BUT LIGHT STRAIN FOWLS WILL DAMAGE THEIR FIGHTING
STYLE. (ROUNDHEADS, KELSOS AND LEMONS MUST NOT BE TRAIN
EXCESSIVELY) 3. FEEDING TIME MUST BE CONSISTENT ALL THROUGH OUT
THE CONDITIONING PROCESS NO DELAY OR ADVANCE FEEDING. 4. STRICTLY
FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE, DISCIPLINE IS IMPORTANT TO ACHIEVE OPTIMUM
RESULT. 5. FEEDING RATION DEPENDS WITH EVERY COCK METABOLISM
PROCESS. SO BASE FEEDING RATIO (GRAMS) DEPENDING ON THE COCK
RESPONSE TO THE FEEDING RATIO. BETTER TO WEIGH EVERYDAY; MORNING
AND AFTERNOON BEFORE FEEDING. 6. FOR STAG TRAINING IS LIGHT BUT
SPARRING MUST BE EVERY 2 DAYS. 7. 5 DAYS BEFORE FIGHT DAY JOCKEY
OATS MUST BE REMOVE FROM FEEDING RATIO 8. ALWAYS MASSAGE THE
COCK SHANK AND LEG AFTER TRAINING PUT ALCOHOL OR HAZEL
WASH BEFORE RETURNING TO CORD AREA. MASSAGE GRADUALLY AND TRY
TO LIFT THE COCK LEG SO THAT HE CAN REACH 90 DEG ANGLE RELATIVE TO
HIS BODY FOR SPRING LIKE MOVEMENT.

perfect warrior
14 Days KEEP By: Teddy Tanchanco I. Feeding During The KEEP 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 preconditioning. 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) sparring, 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% 20% 10% 10%
10% whole corn red wheat whole oats or jockey oats Royal Pigeon Feed
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 utilize 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 helps 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 hardboiled
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. II. Carbo - Loading Technique Carbohydrates are 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. “Carbo-Loading” does this. 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) tablespoonfuls of feed
is given to the cock’s daily, morning and afternoon. Why use corn? First of
all, feeding corn gives your gamecock that “snap” every time 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 III.
Moisture and Water Management 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 affect
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, especially 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
are 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 nightfall, 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 all
right, 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. IV. Pointing and
Troubleshooting 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 Big time
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, limbers the cocks in folding scratch-pens and observes 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 absorbs 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 ¬Ω
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 ½ 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 dropping, 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 ¼
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. V. Exercises During The KEEP –
The Rotation Method 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
workouts. 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 every time 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 heartbeat 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 cock’s 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, and 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 fighting cocks. 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,
turnover, etc. Other advocates 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 encourages 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 scratches 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 sunbathe 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. Transferring the cock from one pen to the other after spending some
time in it does the rotation. 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 ¬Ω
teaspoon oat groats per bird. For the first day, place a little scratch material
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, and 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 noons, 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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