How important is stag hardening?

Hello Doc Ted,

How important is stag hardening? This is the first year that i will be breeding for myself since i was a kid. I had planned to harvest stags and place them directly into 3'x3'x3' scratch pens, then move to flypens prior to dubbing. Had not planned to cord any roosters at all, just to alternate flypens(3.5'W x 6'L x 6'H) on a regular basis. Is this wrong? Is it better to have roosters corded vs in flypens? Thank you Doc and I appreciate your patience. God Bless.

[tjtcokngacademy]

Simply put??? It's the most important stage wherein they develop their MACHISMO.

Any opinion is welcome. u

[tjtcokngacademy]

Gamecocks are territorial birds and their chief aim in life is to extend their domain.
Stags are young marginalized males with no established territories yet, so they welcome fights at the slightest provocation to rise above the ranks and establish their own domain.
Knowing this, one must take note of the distance between hardening pens. The farther the distance between pens, the better.
While in the range, observe the stags who have established their supremacy and these are the first ones to be harvested. For the battered stag in the range, one way of eliminating this trauma is by placing the stag in a pen with an older hen (about 2 years old). This will definitely boost his machismo.
Dubbing plays an important role as their combs are their crown & glory. I suggest that you dub them after the 3rd sparring or until such time when they have exhibited confidence and skill when they spar.
The rotation method is also applied to the stags to avoid the "boredome syndrome" and to get the stags used to different environments. Their awareness of the different pens we rotate them in will make them feel secure and claim the area as their own. With this mentality ingrained in them, stags have more reason to fight with all their might come fight day in the pit.
__________________

Thanks Doc, I really appreciate your input. I just sent you the money for your dvd. I'll send you a pm to give you the details.

Hi Doc,

Great info...what about travelling stags for half an hour during their pre-con stage? I included this last year on my stags, travelling even for just 10 to 15 minutes everytime my folks visit the farm.

regards,

[JERICK-Angono]

Doc,

Please give me advise if what I'm doing is correct:

1. During hardening, I place the stags on a 3x3 pen together with a hen

2. Give them calcium tablet everyday for the rest of the hardening period

3. Put weights or tie cord on their right leg so that they would be familiarized once you
cord them.

4. After 15 days they will be put on cord.


Tnx.


Jerick

[basyo]

Originally Posted by tjtcokngacademy

Gamecocks are territorial birds and their chief aim in life is to extend their domain.
Stags are young marginalized males with no established territories yet, so they welcome fights at the slightest provocation to rise above the ranks and establish their own domain.
Knowing this, one must take note of the distance between hardening pens. The farther the distance between pens, the better.
While in the range, observe the stags who have established their supremacy and these are the first ones to be harvested. For the battered stag in the range, one way of eliminating this trauma is by placing the stag in a pen with an older hen (about 2 years old). This will definitely boost his machismo.
Dubbing plays an important role as their combs are their crown & glory. I suggest that you dub them after the 3rd sparring or until such time when they have exhibited confidence and skill when they spar.
The rotation method is also applied to the stags to avoid the "boredome syndrome" and to get the stags used to different environments. Their awareness of the different pens we rotate them in will make them feel secure and claim the area as their own. With this mentality ingrained in them, stags have more reason to fight with all their might come fight day in the pit.
__________________

thank you doc I will apply this to my backyard breed.

[nielyams]

perfect!!!
Informative!!!
Tnx Doc Ted for the informations!
More power!!!

[Neil ma]

Originally Posted by nielyams

perfect!!!
Informative!!!
Tnx Doc Ted for the informations!
More power!!!

Second the motion

[sugwan8]

magandan talaga kapag nag hahardening ng stag.madali mag macho

[shanebo]

Hardening is most important...except for health of course. Jerick has a good plan for hardening. We rotate our stags from fly pens to drop pens, with longer times being in fly pens. We try to handle them at night until they get used to us. After about a week they should be calming down. Once they are calm we give them a hen, after about a week we rotate the hens so that ever other stag has a hen. One day their neighbor has a hen and the next day they get one. I think that really helps develop their Desire....We try to hardening for 21 days, longer being better. Toward the end of hardening we put them on a cord a couple hours a day just to get them prepared for the future. I forgot to mention, we put a real short hitch on the right leg the first day, but you need to be sure they are spurred out good and solid before you cord them are you will get some slipped spurs(a bloody mess). We have 22 fly pens in our farm....so remember you have to use what resources you have available. Drop pens work just as good. We have more fly pens than drop pens...but it hasn't always been that way!!!!! Stay within your budget.
Just My thoughts!!!

Hey Doc...You planning any seminars in the Cebu area in the future?

[tjtcokngacademy]

Nice input, shanebo....
Keep em coming!

[tjtcokngacademy]

Originally Posted by top_signature

Hi Doc,

Great info...what about travelling stags for half an hour during their pre-con stage? I included this last year on my stags, travelling even for just 10 to 15 minutes everytime my folks visit the farm.

regards,

Stags have varied reactions whenever they are placed inside a carrying box.
This process of travelling them for 10 to 15 minutes, will familiarize them from being placed in a different surrounding.
It might be funny, but you'll be surprised that there are some stags..?? that refuse to fight, right after being taken, 'out of the box'.
You have to be extremely gentle, in handling high strung roosters especially "nervous stags" so that they would adapt easily once they are placed in a different environment.

[shanebo]

Thats another subject that needs it's own thread: Traveling Stags....I think I will start it. Doc T can share with us his ways of traveling.

[tjtcokngacademy]

shanebo

Let's do it.