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Gamefowl training is an essential part of conditioning and preparing birds for peak performance. Proper equipment plays a crucial role in strengthening their endurance, agility, and fighting ability. Breeders and trainers invest in various types of training tools and facilities to ensure that their gamefowl develop the necessary skills, reflexes, and stamina.
In this article, we will discuss the facilities and equipment for training fighting roosters, their purposes, and how they contribute to the overall development of the birds.
Training Facilities and Equipment For Gamefowl
These basic facilities and equipment are essential in any gamefowl farm to keep them in top shape. Check them out:
Feeding Equipment
Game cocks need to be fed with a special diet and need to be hydrated at all times. Find the right type of drinker or waterer that a fighting cock can easily find and access when needed.
For feeding, a linear feeder is the best one to use as it ensures feeding is measured and that there is always enough for the cocks.
Housing
The best kind of housing for cocks is a tee-pee which they can hide in when it’s raining or when it’s too hot. Tee-pees are usually built using cement, bamboo, wood, rubber, or plywood. The ideal size is 2 feet in width and 4 feet in height.
Conditioning Pens
A farm should have conditioning pens of different sizes and dimensions. Some have three pens with varying dimensions such as 10 feet by 10 feet with a height of 6 feet, one 4 feet by 8 feet, and another sized 6 feet by 6 feet. Pens with varying dimensions allow the cocks to be more active when rotated to different pens.
It’s important to note that after a while in a particular place, cocks tend to relax and be more active. However, when rotated to different-looking pens, they become active once more. Conditioning pens should not be covered, except for a small area to provide shelter for the birds in case of rain.
Fly Pens
Fly pens should be at least four by eight feet and at least 10 or 12 feet in height. They should have a roof with a partition between pens. It’s best to design the pens in a way it will allow you to place a hen in between two cocks. Doing so can encourage flying as the cocks can only see the hen from the roost.
The cocks will likely fly up and down in order to see the hen, allowing for some wing exercise. As fight day nears, however, don’t forget to remove the hen between the pens and lower the roosting pole as well.
Catch Cock
Generally a dummy, this tool is useful for teaching cocks where to hit an opponent.
Scratch Box
Game cocks in a conditioning program are fed with high protein. They’re also subjected to more rigorous exercises. It’s highly possible that the cock becomes muscle-bound, acquiring too much concentration of lactic acid in the muscles.
To prevent it from happening, a cock should be regularly placed in a scratch box. Usually, a scratch box measures around 3 ft. in width, 3 ft. in length, and 3 ft. in height. Leg weights can be typically found inside scratch boxes. Five to ten minutes in the scratch box will allow the cock to unwind, relax, and tone its leg muscles.
Running Pen
This is an additional place for cocks to strengthen their knees, thighs, and feet. The dimensions of a running pen should be around 2 1/2 ft in width, 10 ft. in length, and 3 ft. in height.
Pointing Pens
A smaller version of a fly pen, a pointing pen encourages a cock to rest. This kind of pen should be covered and enclosed as possible, allowing the cocks only a limited view of the outside. This pen is similar to an isolated meditation chamber.
Keeping Pen
Also known as a holding stall, this is an area where cocks should be placed one or two hours a day, and then for longer periods until a day or two before the fight.
Putting a cock inside the keeping pen allows it to rest and become familiar, avoiding the stress that it might experience if it were placed in the pen for the first time on fight day.
Cock House
Birds are allowed more rest before a fight. Different from regular housing, this type of house completely shelters the gamefowl from the elements. This kind of house also promotes a controlled environment where temperature and humidity are constantly kept within the bird’s comfort zone.
Final Note
Gamefowl training requires the right equipment and facilities to ensure optimal performance. Various training facilities and equipment all contribute to a bird’s strength, agility, and endurance. Sparring equipment helps refine their fighting skills while resting facilities provide the necessary recovery time before fight day.
By using a well-balanced approach that includes both training and rest, breeders can develop gamefowl that are physically fit, highly skilled, and ready for competition. Properly conditioned birds not only perform better but also maintain their overall health, making them valuable assets on any gamefowl farm.
