The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-03-17
RAISING GAME CHICKENS.


The raising of game chickens for
the poultry show and for the pit are
two distinctly different industri'
The former requires only gocvr
knowledge Of poultry breeding, while
the latter involves as well num-
Der of finer points which are known
only to afew who have been long and
closely connected whit the work.
These secrets have in many cases
been handsd down from generation to
generation, carefully guarded. Every
breeder of game chickens in the South
feels that the success of his brids is
largely dependent upon these secrets,
and they are without doubt largely
responsible for the success of birds
raised by Southern breeders. A few
facts concerning game birds and their
raising for the pit, secured from a
Virginia planter, will be of general
interest
This gentleman says his ancestors
brought their original stock of game
chickens to this country, and their de-
scendants have been raising them ever
since. He is confident that this par
ticular strain of birds can hold their
own with the best the country affords.
This is not all idle talk, for his birds
have won fights in the principle cities
of the country.
First of all, the birds have been
raised only for fighting purposes, and
then year after year of careful breed
ing and selection has developed quail
ties which could be secured in no 9th
er way. Birds are raised only from
winners and sisters of winners.
The chickens are kept together from
the time they are hatched in the spring
until the young cockerels, or stays,
begin to manifest fighting proclivities.
That comes in the fall.
They are then separated, and each
stag is placed on walk. That means
that farmer or negro is paid to take
the cock and keep him on his farm
with not more than six hens in such
a place that he will not come in con-
tact with any other cock for year.
One might think the bird should be
fighting all that time to develop his
mettle, but careful study has shown
that this is not the case. During the
year the bird sees no other cocks !;
he is absolutely king of the little
realm in which he rules, and he re-
alizes it.
He grows in stature, dignity, and
courage. In few months nothing
can encroach on his territory without
challenge, and stubborn fight, be it
COW, horse, mule, dog or man.
At the end of the year these cocks
sometimes spread over territory
twenty miles in circumference, are
gathered in and cooped up, prepara-
tory to testing. The fancier holds lit
tie mains for his own and his friends
amusement, and in this way finds out
what qualities the cock possesses. A
fight means death to one bird, and in
consequence there is thinning out.
Sometim s when two birds of ex-
ceptional worth are put together they
are separated after they have demon
strated their good qualities, because
they are too valuable to be sacrificed.
The best birds are then shipped tc
various parts of the country to take
part in big fights.
A main, or cock6ght, is an inter.
esting affair. A couple of men, for in
| stance, fight twenty birds for purse
of 5000, $500 or $500, with $40 or S5c
on each fight. If one man wins
eleven fight, he gets the purse, plus
the amount on each fight he wins
and the loser gets the money for the
fights he wins. This helps him tc
pay expenses.
Large sums of money are also put
up on the result of the main, or or
each separate fight, by the company
assembled Sometimes the fanciers
| friends come with him and back hi:
birds to their last cent, but generally
the money is placed by men on bird:
they fancy, and which their educated
judgment tells them will win.
The preparation of game cock
for the pit usually ring filled with
tan bark to prevent the birds iron
injuring themselves when they fall Il
nearly as elaborate as that of prize
fighter. First, the cocks natura
spurs are cut down to short stump
perhaps half an inch long, chamoi
strips are wound around this ant
about the leg, and over this the gaff
or steel spur, is fitted and tied on Sc
curely.
Next, the wings and tail are crop
ped short, the former for the purpos,
of making them bit harder, and the
latter probably because it makes thu
birds look fierce. The hackle feath
ers are then cropped and the sof
downy feathers of the breast are Gu
close to keep the bird cool.
The cocks are held together for
minute, and then dropped on the bark
and in few minutes there is blu
of feathers. The fight may last fiv
seconds or an hour, but twenty min
utes is good average.
When the birds get hung togethe
they are separted for moment, ant
the owners blow down their throat
to revive them, but the rest is of shor
duration, and the cocks are set at
again.
In many cases, the training of bird
is elaborate. The birds sre diete
and exercised to tougher them fo
the contest. Two birds are often pu