Home » Gamefowl Circuit » The Keep: Feeding (A Conditioning System for Preparing Gamefowl before a Derby )
November 22, 2013 Gamefowl Circuit
The KEEP is a conditioning method for fighting fowl thatis patterned after the latest studies of human athleticcompetition. The principle behind conditioning birds is“carbohydrate loading.” To understand fully how the KEEPsystem works, breeders should understand how nutritionworks on a fowl and its effects on a fight’s performance.
Applying the principles of this to conditioning fightingfowl, the effects of a KEEP system have been recordedas extremely productive and rewarding for gamefowlbreeders who have adopted it as science: your co*ckwill hit harder, and more importantly, will be able to doit much longer than he would have otherwise. Fighterswill sustain that deadly punch and fight endurance is alsovastly improved over birds that do not undergo the Keeppre-derby conditioning system.
FEEDING
The secret of the KEEP is always FEEDING.
Feeding during the KEEP is totally different from theoff-season and breeding season feeding periods. The foodmix is specifically designed to maximize your co*ck’s abilityto get into its peak fighting condition right on time for a derbyfight. From a nutrition standpoint and from an understandingof your co*ck’s metabolism.
This KEEP is a short yet intensive 2-week schedule ofconditioning a co*ck for a derby. Some KEEP systems are forlonger up to 20 days or 22 days. Before the KEEP starts,a breeder chooses candidates among the best fighting fowlin his coop. If you are to enter a 5-co*ck derby, factor bythree (3) the number of fights to come up with the number ofcandidates you must choose for the KEEP (thus, you choose15).
WEIGHT
Before the KEEP, the candidate co*cks should preferablyhave a pre-conditioning process where they are fed welland develop good muscles, are healthy and full breasted.And preferably without the belly fat. Ideally the weight ofeach bird must be around 200 grams higher than their bestfighting weight observed during pre-conditioning.
Lowering a fighting co*ck’s weight is easier and less stressfulduring the KEEP as opposed to bulking up which takeslonger, needs more effort/stress and risks uncertainty.The best fighting weight is the weight where you observeyour co*cks performing best while in supervised sparringexercises conducted during pre-conditioning. During thepre-conditioning stage, record each fighter’s weight beforeand after every sparring session.
Rate the bird’s fight prowess according to your preference.You might rate his fight weight as willing and able, a madbrawler, pure killer or just ticking, during these sparringexercises. In at least five (5) sparring exercises, know whathis best fighting weight is. Consider the weight where theco*ck fought best as his best fighting weight—pure killer.
FLUSHING FEED
To detox your fighters and cleanse their systems, give yourcandidates only bread soaked in milk as flushing feed onthe day of your selection. Deworm them the usual way, anddelouse by simply spraying their feathers with non-toxicanti-parasite. Do not bathe or wash your fighting co*cksin water. After the flushing, the co*cks will be cleaned up,inside and out.
MAINTENANCE MEDS
To avoid disease and other infections during the KEEP, youmay inject a small amount of your preference of antibiotic(only 1cc. per bird) into the breast of each co*ck on the firstday.
DIET
For the KEEP diet for your birds, maintain a 16% crudeprotein (C.P.) level from day one up to the eleventh (1-11).
Mix grain and vegetable parts into the feed mix as follows:
50% - whole corn
20% - red wheat
10% - whole oats or jockey oats
10% - green peas and yellow peas
10% - Pellets (16% C.P.)
Corn supplies complex carbohydrates which is the bestenergy source, and some plant proteins as bonus. Corn isstaple food for fowl. Red wheat is fine as a protein sourceand replaces white wheat because it is easier to digest, andwith better protein content than white. Use 5% green peasand 5% yellow peas in the mix. Make sure that the pelletcomponent contains 16% crude protein to sustain the muscleconditioning of the birds. Check the pellet feed packagingfor this information. The feed mix proportions for theseingredients are measured in dry weight.
GRIT for DIGESTION
Provide the co*cks a steady supply of grits from day 1 to 9 ofyour KEEP system. Grits help the co*cks digest the feed andkeep the gizzard well-exercised. Grits remain in the gizzard foraround a week. Thus, grits are removed from the diet 5 daysbefore the fight to empty the gizzard not only of feeds, butalso of grits on fight day.
CHECK FIGHTERS’ APPETITE
co*cks that are voracious eaters and fast grinders showthat their digestive system is in top shape. Picky co*cksor those which leave leftover feed in their cups must beexperiencing something unpleasant. Observe these and treatthem for any illness or infection, then send the birds back topre-conditioning. Observe the co*cks in KEEP daily, before,during and after feeding. If possible, observe them the wholeday, even during their sleep.
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