Gamefowl Breeding 101: Facilities & Equipment

Water & Feeding Equipment

1. Find the right type of drinker or waterer for your gamefowls. Your options include the common pan and jar type, water basin, bell type, nipple drinker, and manual drinker.
2. A linear feeder ensures that feeding is measured and that there’s always enough for your chickens. 

Housing & training Facilities

1. Also called an Indian house, a tee-pee is an inverted V that cocks can hide into when it’s raining or when it’s too hot. Usually built using cement, bamboo, wood, rubber, or plywood, the ideal size for a tee-pee is 2 ft. (width) by 4 ft. (height). Some tee-pees also come with a wooden perch where fowls may alight. 
2. A sparring area is where gamefowls of the right maturity are pit against each other for training. The structure is composed mainly of a sturdy roof and leveled soil for ground. It would greatly benefit your gamefowl’s performance too if you would include a sound and lighting system that emulates the noise and brightness of an actual cockfighting ring:
   1. Sound system – pro gamefowl breeders recommend playing loud music while training cocks to fight. This is to avoid noise stress that could affect the cock’s performance during the fight.
   2. Lighting system – bright, artificial lighting in an actual cockfighting ring can also affect a gamefowl’s fighting performance. They tend to stare at the source of the bright light, making them vulnerable to attacks.
3. A scratch box or pen is where gamefowls can be trained for their footwork, strengthening their knees, thighs, and feet. With flooring that’s made of plywood and bedding that’s made of corn shucks, the ideal size for a scratch box is 3 ft. (width) by 3 ft. (length) by 3 ft. (height).
4. An additional area for strengthening the thighs, knees, and feet, a running pen should fit these specifications: 2½ ft. (width), 10 ft. (length), and 3 ft. (height). Running pens are best covered with a net.
5. Fly pens are mainly for exercising their wings. The ideal size is 4 ft. (width) by 8 ft. (length) by 8ft. (height).
6. Keeping rooms are for isolating gamefowls that are in line for a cockfight. To make sure that the fowls get enough rest, keeping rooms are kept dark, quiet, and at an ideal temperature.

Training Equipment

1. A catch cock or dummy is useful for teaching cocks where to hit an opponent. 
2. A supplemental tool for the scratch box, leg weights train cocks to move quickly even with additional weight.