21 DAY CONDITIONING METHOD (COCKS ONLY)ALL

CONDITIONED COCK UNDER GO PRE-CON

STAGEDAYMEDICATION
DOSAGE
DAILYROUTINE
1
WASH OUT SHAMPOOSPARRING DAY
MIX 1 SACCHET TO 2 GALLONS GOOD FOR 8-10 COCKS0630:
TEST FIGHT0730: FEEDING TIME1000: BATH AND SUNDRY
1100: SCRATCHING PEN WITH BANANA OR CORN LEAVES FOR
15 MINS. AFTER SCRATCINGRETURN COCK IN A SHADED
TEEPEE WITH ROAST OF 7-8 FEET HIGH
1500: SCRATCHING AGAIN FOR 15 MINS1530-1630 PUT IN
LIMBERING PEN1630 RETURN TO CORD AREA1800= GIVE 1
CAPLET OF VERMEX-2 OR WORMAL NO FEEDING1900: LIMBER
FOR 20 MINUTES1930 TABLE TRAINING GIVE 10 FLYS, 10 FLIPS
20 SEC SIDE TABLE ELECTRIC FAN SCRATCHING2030-0700
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 FEEDING0800-
0830= SPRAY COCK WITH WATER AND SUN DRY0830-1100 :
CORD AREA1100-1120= SCRATCHING FOR 20 MINS1120-1500-
CORD AREA1500-1530 = SCRATCHING1530-1630 LIMBER
PEN1630= RETURN TO CORD AREA AND FEED + WATER 1700-
1900 CORD AREA1900-1920= LIMBER PEN WITH LIGHTS1920-
2030= TABLE TRAINING INCREASE TO 20 FLYS 20 FLIPS 20 SEC
ELECTRIC FAN SCRATCHING.

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
6
FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 2
7
SPARRING DAYBEE POLLEN
0600= LIMBER COCK FOR 30 MINS OBSERVE EYES, DROPPING
AND WEIGH. RECORD IF POSSIBLE0630-0715=
SPARRING1000=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 25sec 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,
PREFERABLYGIVE CT WILLIAMS SO THAT NO NEED TO
WITHHOLD HIS AFTERNOON MEAL
11
FOLLOW DAILY ROUTINE OF DAY 8
12
SPARRING DAY

BEE POLLEN
0600 = LIMBER COCK FOR 30 MINS OBSERVE EYES, DROPPINGS
AND ALERTNESS AND RECORD WEIGHT0630-0715 = SPARRING
TIME1000= 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 TABLESCRATCHING
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 DAYBEE POLLEN0600-0630= 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 + OBSERVE0730 FEEDING TIME0800-0815
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
ROAST1400-1405-SCRATCHING FOR 3-5 MINS1405-1630 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 LAMP2030-0700 REST
TIME ON CORD AREA EXCEPT RAINING.
19
POINTING MEDICATION
( GIVE B50 + 1/3 CENTRUM SILVER)
0700-0730= LIMBER,WEIGH,OBSERVE0730= 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 ROAST1200-1230 =
LIMBER + SCRATCHING FOR 2 MINS1230-1600 RESTING
STALL1600-1630 = LIMBER + OBSERVE MUST BE ATTENTIVE
AND AGILE,1630= FEEDING TIME GIVE 5 FLYS1630-1730 = 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 H0700-0730 = LIMBER +
WEIGH + OBSERVE, MUST BE VERYALERT, CALM AND FOCUS,
ATTENTIVEWHEN 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
LINEN1200-1215 = LIMBER + OBSERVE DROPPING1215-1620 =
RESTING STALL WITH ROAST1600-1630 = LIMBER ..1630 =
FEEDING TIME1630 –1730 = CORD AREA WITH OUT
DISTURBANCE1730-2200 = RESTING STALL2200-0400 = 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
RAISINS1000 = GIVE 3 RAISINS + LIMBER + OBSERVE
DROPPING. IF WET GIVE 5 PELLETS IF DRY GIVE 3-5 EGG WHITE
PUT ON A FEEDING CUPS WITHWATER 1100 = GIVE 3
RAISINS1300 READY TO FIGHTBETTER 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 MAKESBETTER 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 NODELAY 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 FEEDINGRATIO (GRAMS) DEPENDING ON
THE COCK RESPONSE TO THE FEEDING RATIO. BETTER TO
WEIGHEVERYDAY; 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 RATIO8.
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
LIKEMOVEMENT. perfect warrior
14 Days KEEP By: Teddy TanchancoI. Feeding During The KEEPLet
me reveal to you what some cockers call “secrets” in conditioning of
gamecocks for the pit. For starters, let us talk aboutfeeding.Some
cockers say that the secret in the proper conditioning of gamecocks
is feeding. It is undeniable that feeding plays a veryimportant role in
conditioning, but let us bear in mind that feeding should be
considered in relation to other factors, a trainer mustmonitor while
preparing his set of feathered warriors. With due respect to other
trainers, please consider that what I am about tosay 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 thenumber of cocks for an entry (say, 5) by three (3) to
come up with the number of candidates you must choose (thus,
15). It isassumed that these cocks went through a pre-conditioning
process where they are in good flesh, healthy and full breasted,
butwithout 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,
effortand 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 duringthe 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.
Inat least five (5) sparring, you must be able to know his best
fighting weight. Consider the weight where he fought best as his
bestfighting weight.Give your candidates only bread soaked in milk
as flushing feed on the day of your selection. Deworm them the
usual way, anddelouse 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
firstday.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).
Toachieve this, mix several ingredients as follows:50% - whole
corn20% - red wheat10% - whole oats or jockey oats10% - Royal
Pigeon Feed10% - 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 onebecause 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 maysubstitute this with 5% green peas and
5% yellow peas in the ration. These feedstuffs supply most of the
proteins in the cock’sdiet. The 10% Pellets indicated above may be
Holding Ration Pellets or simply Pigeon Pellets. Just make sure that
the pellets youuse 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.
Soakingincreases seed moisture and stimulates germination.
Germinated grains produce more proteins. Legumes, like green peas
andsoybeans, must be heated or germinated to make their crude
protein metabolizable. Otherwise, we cannot utilize the proteins
fromthese 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 cocksall 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 orcabbage 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 bethe 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 gizzardwell exercised.
They remain in the gizzard for about a week. Thus, grits are
withheld 5 days before the fight to empty the gizzardnot 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 theafternoon
feed at 4 p.m. Give each cock two (2) heaping tablespoons of the
feed mixture mentioned above. This is about 30 to 40grams of feed
per cock. During the day, the cocks should be crop empty by 2 or 3
p.m. to show that their digestive systemsfunctions 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-boundbefore 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 whichleave feeds in their cups must be experiencing
something unpleasant. They must be observed and treated for any
disease, and sentback to pre-conditioning. Try always to observe
the cocks in KEEP before, during and after feeding. If possible,
observe them thewhole 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
weightby 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
thelast 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-
LoadingTechnique.II. Carbo - Loading TechniqueCarbohydrates are
the main source of energy for cocks in training. Like human
athletes getting ready for competition, thegamecock must store
enough energy in his body to be used during the fight for his life.
The critical days in conditioning which arethe last three (3) days
before the fight, finds the trainer wanting to load up his gamecock
with as much energy as possible to givehim 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 duringthe 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 actualfight. This is achieved by increasing the caloric
content of the feeds given to the fowl. From the 16% crude protein
base feed wehave given from the first to the 11th day of the Keep,
we gradually increase the amount of carbohydrates to 75% or 80%
in thelast 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 13thday, 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
andafternoon.Why use corn? First of all, feeding corn gives your
gamecock that “snap” every time he hits his opponent. Just
compare cocks fedwith corn to those, which are not. Gamecocks
that have corn in their diet feel more fleshy or muscular although a
bit heavier, whilecocks 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 otherfeedstuff. The
table below shows the amount of nutrients available from common
feed ingredients found in grains used asconditioning feeds. We can
see that oat groats (dehulled) has the highest metabolized energy
(3400 Kilo calories) followed by cornwith 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’sbuckles. Thus I prefer corn, which also has
high-metabolized energy, but low in fats. This metabolized energy is
stored in the bodyof 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 variousconditions, both of the
cock, and his environment. Because of these, water intake is
managed during the last three (3) days of theKeep.Feedstuff Crude
Crude Metabolized EnergyProtein % Fat % M.E. (Kcal. /Kg.)Barley
11.5 1.9 2620Corn 08.9 3.5 3366Green Peas 22.0 1.0 2600Oats
(whole) 11.0 4.0 2550Oat Groats 16.0 6.0 3400Red Rice 07.3 1.7
2670Sunflower Seed 42.0 2.3 1760Wheat (trigo) 13.5 1.9 2620Data
derived from: The Merck Veterinary Manual, Seventh EditionIII.
Moisture and Water ManagementA gamecock’s body is at least 65%
water. From this fact alone, we can see that water is really an
important element in the properconditioning of our fowl. Let’s dig
deeper. Why are we so concerned about water and moisture, in the
first place? To properlycondition cocks, we have what we call their
“peak”, meaning to say, they are “On Point” or in layman’s term,
they are in theirlowest 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
bodilyfunctions, and 2) as a temperature regulator. For digestion,
water acts on the grains and pellets as a solvent and helps
infermentation. 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
poisonsthese might produce. Without the right amount of water,
proper digestion and fermentation of feeds will not take place and
canendanger the life of your beloved fowl. So, keep a watchful eye
on how you feed and water your gamecocks, especially while
theyare in training.From day 1 to 11 in our conditioning program,
water is always present before the cocks right after feeding.
Moisture is also assuredby soaking the grains overnight. However,
on the 12th day, you as a conditioner/trainer must have what I call
a clinical eye and bevery careful are assessing the condition of each
fowl. While observing your fowl, ask yourself the following
questions: How muchwater does your cock consume or drink
during the day? One way of doing this is to draw a line inside his
feeding/drinking pot righton the first day of the Keep to remember
the actual amount of water you put in each morning. By nightfall,
get that which remainsof the water in the pot and measure it using
a graduated beaker. By the tenth day, you can more or less predict
how much watereach 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? Arethey 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
rightmoisture. Also, watch your cock as he defecate or move his
bowels. If he is having a hard time passing his stool, he must be
toodry. 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
cloudyday, 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 hisbody 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 isgreatly affected by the wind or air current. You might not
notice, but your cocks may already be too dry although they would
ratherstay 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 theclinical 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 nomedical 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, heavyand 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 feeltight-muscled, they maybe muscle-
bound. We don’t want this on fight day. Muscle-bound cocks have
muscles still suffering fromfatigue. When we say “loose”, we mean
relaxed muscles. Properly toned muscles have that tension and
looseness in them. Alwayscheck their weight through your record
book. Your cock must be in his best fighting weight. On this 12th
day, we are looking forloose 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 findyour fowl’s
droppings watery, or too dry, you still have the 13th and 14th day
to make adjustments.IV. Pointing and TroubleshootingThe day,
Fight Day, is the most critical day when fighting your gamecock. On
this day, just hours before the actual fight, the cock’scondition
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
inthis condition are said to be at their “peak” or “On Point”. A cock
coming to point must have glossy feathers, bright red face,
moistdroppings, 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 eveningsup to the early morning hours. In Big time
Derbies, submission of weights is done a day before and the fight
schedule comes out inthe 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 asthe weights
of your entries. Bad weight or weight 40 grams over your declared
weight is fined during derbies. The cock loses weightduring 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 gramsfrom 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 willsurely weigh less than
2.1 kg. because of pointing. Even if your cock does not lose weight
during pointing, you are still in theallowable 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 6hours.
So, try to know your fight schedule to program your feeding time
beforehand. If your fight is 6 p.m., count 6 to 8 hoursbackwards
(about 12 noon) and feed your cock ½ 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 twocan be observed, feed less
than ½ his normal ration. Empty crops don’t mean that the gizzard
and other digestive organs are alsoempty. 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 5dips of water. This will
encourage bowel movement. As explained in previously, moisture
can be gauged only by observing thecock’s droppings. There are
four (4) stages or sequence of changes that occur with the cock’s
droppings when we conduct pointingprocedures. First is the usual
moist and firm dropping, which must be seen in the morning just
before weighing the cock and afterthe last feeding. Next, when the
cock has emptied his gut of the fibers and other waste materials
from the feeds, you will observewhat I call “cecal droppings”. This is
the brown sticky smelly kind of droppings the cock pass from time
to time during the Keep. Butnow, “cecal droppings” is an indication
of emptying out of the intestines. You will also observe that some
moist green droppingswith white toppings still come out but are
increasingly getting smaller. When the cock is really empty (from
the crop to the largeintestines), what I call “moisture droppings” will
appear. These look like whitish mucus about two (2) inches in
diameter. Theybecome smaller as pointing progresses. The cock
may be said to be On Point when the size of moisture droppings are
as small as atwenty-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, thecocks
start to knock their heads (something like twitching as in a person
with a tic). This must be observed while limbering prior tothe actual
fight. It is difficult to describe the movement in writing, but once
you’ve seen this knocking movement, this is a sign thatthe 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 intheir body, and hunger have started taking its toll. Some
cockers aver that “off syndrome” is due to drug overdose,
constipation orbeing coop-stale. Often, a drug-overdosed cock will
be listless. A constipated one will show no interest in fighting since
he ispreoccupied 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, sincewe
withhold feeds, but remember that nutrients are still absorbed by
the body even after the grains and other stuff are alreadydigested.
Once the nutrients are consumed, hunger will be coupled with lack
of energy and essential nutrients, which makes thesituation very
critical and harmful. In pointing, we want the cocks to be empty but
not hungry. Thus, while limbering before theactual 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, sotime 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 andcoop-
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 crackedcorn 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 MethodThere are a thousand and one ways of training
a gamecock. Different trainers have different styles and different
procedures. In myyears of cocking, I have looked up to local and
foreign cocking greats whom I happened to meet and have
acquainted myself withduring those years. Meeting the likes of
James Pope and Buddy Mann proved very informative and helpful
in my personal quest forproper training of my gamecocks. For
James Pope, sparring is the best exercise or training for roosters;
for Buddy Mann, it is acombination of natural exercises and table
workouts. From them and from my personal experience, I share to
you most of what Iknow 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 summermonths; he also
pants excessively when he has too much moisture in his body.
Therefore, the main concern of a trainer during theKeep is to
develop the cock’s coping mechanisms to lessen panting. Panting is
a sign that the cock’s body system is stressed suchthat his
heartbeat increases to supply more oxygen to his organs.
Respiration is naturally agitated. Exercises further enhance
thecock’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 andnutrition are, for the most part, the
backbone of training. One cannot do much in a 21 or 14 day Keep,
other than to keep thecock’s alert, increase their stamina and tone
the muscles. Power comes with breeding, and muscles are
developed during therearing stage and pre-conditioning. Training
should help promote flexibility, strength, and muscle toning,
contouring andcardiovascular endurance. No amount of exertions
can improve the constitution, circulatory and respiratory
capabilities of sicklybirds. 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 “BoredomDisease 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 muscledevelopment as the latter is gained
during the growing and pre-conditioning stages, while toning is
simply working on what youalready 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
tableexercises, which mean the trainer’s supervision and handling
to exercise the cocks. This finds the necessity of various exercises
likethe “tailing”, flies, flips, turnover, etc. Other advocates the
“natural” or not much human interference on the movements of
cocks intraining. This brought about the Rotation Method and the
use of fly pens, and scratch boxes to exercise cocks. Both systems
havetheir 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
theresting 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
and12’ 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 theground
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
ensureproper extension of the legs when the rooster scratches with
a full swing of the legs extending back. Scratch materials like
cornschucks, 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
inthe 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 pento 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 openstheir lungs and improves their
breathing. In the scratch box, encourage scratching by throwing in
½ 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 theamount of scratch materials and
increase the duration of scratching to 10 minutes. Increase the
amount of the scratching materialsand 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 away 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 onlyduring the summer months, and use
corn schucks or sugar cane leaves for heavy scratching done only
during the cold months. Haycan be classified as an in-between type
of scratch material. You yourself must decide whether your cock
needs light or heavyexercises 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 boxesas 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 inthe 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."