Pointing Procedures 1- Pointing Series Part 2

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Gamefowl Conditioning

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Gamefowl Pointing Series

This is the second part of the pointing series. See Gamefowl Pointing Feed Components and Beneficial Functions – Pointing Part 1.

Pointing is the set of activities where the gamecocks potential are fine-tuned. Pointing is a high value skill that you can learn by study, practice and observation. Whereas properly pointing gamefowls maximize the inherent capability to the most extreme possible (peak point) for a good show, whereas poor pointing ruins it all.

Prerequisites

Before pointing for a good show, there are some prerequisites. The gamefowls must undergo at least 3 weeks of training-proper excluding the introductory training which usually at least 10 days. And of course with an excellent body status, and others.

Other important thing, the tolerance of the feed must be already determine. Meaning They can withstand the amount of feed given with respect to the time of sparring/fight From the sparring sessions. Some do not perform with empty gut or at least perform less while some perform better. And this amount must be already known.

Gamefowl Pointing Procedures

Pointing activities is important and critical. That is why owners or chief handlers oversee this more, mostly are hands on to this regime.

We compensate for the tissue repair and energy during the taxing training activities of the gamecock and we add extra during pointing. Somewhat what we do here is to optimize Rest, recovery and energize the gamefowl to maximize the inherent capability to the most extreme possible (peak point) for a good show. Its like the finishing touches of your prized fighter.

5 days before the fight

Actually pointing process starts 3 days before the fight, though the days 5 and 4 before the fight may not be actually included in the pointing phase. It is found to be important to tackle/mention it as most of the pointing objectives will be based on this day.

This is the day where the gamecock candidates are fed with the individual tested minimum amount, confirming again that it can withstand and perform with the amount of feed, and to finally select which are those to be fought. Yes it means it will be the sparring night.

This is also the day, where the latest time to introduce the feeds that will be used for pointing. If introduced earlier the better so to make the rooster accustom to eat the components of the pointing feed.

Introducing these pointing feed components as early as day 1 of the conditioning keep will make the gamefowl eat these components as a regular feed but would make the overall conditioning expensive, because we are giving expensive feeds that could be given on the last five days before the fight. But if you are on a tight budget. You may do so introduce it on this day(but we do advise introduce it earlier). If the chicken don’t adjust to eating the some of the bits. You can give these components to the gamefowl orally.

The usual activity for this day is just like the previous sparring days in your conditioning regime.

5 to 8 minutes of scratching in the morning before feeding time.
feed 20 grams each gamefowl.
take note how many dips the bird took when drinking. Including how it drink. It may foretell something about the bird.
The usual routine to the fly pens, with 1 to 2 hours on it, but this time without the hens/pullets around.
On Noon time. Let them rest in the coop.
And at 2 PM limber them for 5 to 10 minutes. This is the time where you want to put some 5-gram snack to some fast digesting gamefowl and to some birds that are very sensitive to being gut empty ( goes for cocks and stags), and you must already know this from the previous sparring sessions. And let them rest again after.
Comes 6:30 PM. Limber them for at least 35 minutes, Take note of their droppings.
After letting them stretch in the limbers for at least 35 minutes. Spar them for your selection process. Give them supplement after this explosive activities.

4 days before the fight

Bath with lukewarm water, let them relax, loose the tension and enjoy the cord area for the whole day with other regular activity they want to enjoy. Upon drying transfer them to cool dry cord area, except if it will rain, in which usually they are limbered in the large area like your sparring pit.

At night, this is the time we give them the B-Complex and B15 shots, RBM and LBM respectively.

Pls. refer to B15 resources to see more what the vitamin is for.

The 3 days before the fight

No scratching activities today, but you may give them light scratch if you like for no more than 5 minutes.

After feeding in the cord area. At 8:30 AM, The birds are cleaned, their face, the shanks and nails. Then the birds are sunbathed for 15 to 30 minutes.

After letting them enjoy the sun, the gamefowls are now transferred to the process which many call it “Keeping”.

Keeping

After letting them enjoy the sun, the gamefowls are now transferred to the process which many call it “Keeping”. It is Where you put them in a 2X2 coop, covered with a cloth to darken it. Making the gamefowl rest more and rejuvenate the energy and perhaps the mind. It is important the keeping is done in a well managed cockhouse.

Cockhouse Management

An automaticall controlled climate/environment cockhouse will be the best for this, to which you have an automatic control of temperature and humidity, even CO₂ and O₂ if you like.

Take note temperature and humidity of the cockhouse, they are critically important for a good show. This topic is discussed separately in Cockhouse Management.

Limber activities.

In gamefowls it is observed that making them rest for too long make them dull. It appears that the birds lose it’s power and speed.

Remember muscle rest and recovery lets it heal and make it stronger and also making it rest too long makes it dull. Too avoid such state. Gamefowls are let loose for 5 to 10 minutes every 2 or 3 hours of rest in the day.

3 days before the fight it is done every 2 hours for 5 to 10 minutes. Usually they put in a limber pens with matting below. The gamecocks are observed and allowed to move and stretch here for 5 to 10 minutes. The individual droppings are noted together with other observations, as previously mentioned droppings and behavior connotes many things regarding the gamefowl’s current status.

Limbering is done every 3 hours on 2 days before the fight and on fight day.

2 days before the fight

At 6:30 the gamefowls are put into limber pens. Left out for 30 minutes. Behavior and Droppings are observed and noted. After these, gamefowls are weighed and felt to the touch, assessing bodies muscle tone and moisture state. This feel will be learned on practice and observation. And it will be discussed separately.

Around 7:30 they are fed, and water is noted and usually controlled. And after this, the gamefowls are cleaned and returned to the cock house resuming the keeping stage.

Stretching in the Pit

As mentioned they are let to stretch in limber pens for 5 to 10 minutes each every 3 hours (2 days before the fight and the fight day). For our more preferred stretching starting here on out, the gamefowls are put into the pit instead of the limber pens. This is more effective with the stretching, and more beneficial to the gamecock, specially if on the actual cockpit to adjust to the new environment.

As usual droppings and behavior are observed.

At 4 PM the feeding activity routines is done. Left out for 30 minutes. Behavior and Droppings are observed and noted. After these, again gamefowls are weighed and felt to the touch. The current weight reading will be the basis for the submition of weights. If weight submission is set on this day. Otherwise tomorrows morning weight will be better.

Around 4:30 they are fed, and water is noted and controlled. After another 30 to 45 minutes, the gamefowls are cleaned and returned to the cock house.

You may let them sleep at the cord area if the weather allows.

On fight day

just like mentioned before at 6:30 the gamefowls are put into limber pens. Left out for 30 minutes. Behavior and Droppings are observed and noted. After these, gamefowls are weighed and felt to the touch, assessing bodies muscle tone and moisture state.

Around 7:30 they are fed, and water is noted and usually controlled. And after 30 minutes to 1 hour, the gamefowls are cleaned and returned to the cock house.

Again they are let to stretch in limber pens for 5 to 10 minutes each every 3 hours. as mentioned before it is more preferred that, the gamefowls are put into the pit instead of the limber pens. This is more effective with the stretching, and more beneficial to the gamecock, specially if on the actual cockpit to adjust to the new environment.