A Guide to Practical Breeding A Guide to Practical Breeding First edition, 2012 | Page 42
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when attacked. This reasoning also applies during rainy days when stags
are wet and may look unusual.
It is also at this time of the year that we have to prepare the facilities and activities necessary when stags have been harvested. If we don’t
intend to fight the stags in the stag derbies it would be much better to
leave them at the cord area for maturing. All we have to do immediately
after harvesting the stag is to delouse, de-worm (better with natural dewormer) and put them in a small enclosure to tame them. A false tiecord put alternately on the legs will accustom the stags to the tie-cord.
When the stags have been tamed and ready, you may transfer them to the
cording area.
Stags left alone to grow naturally are better suited for bull stag
fighting than stags that were conditioned for fighting while still stags.
If we intend to fight our newly harvested stags in the stag competitions, then these are the things to remember and do:
Prepare the facilities for harvest.
Small pens, usually the 3x3’ folding wire pens available in poultry supply stores. It is better to place the
Stags left alone
harvested stags first in small pens to tame them soonto grow naturally are
er. In smaller confinement it is easier to catch the stags
better suited for bull
when administering the post harvest care such as destag fighting than
lousing, de-worming, injection of supplements and
stags that were
bacterial flushing.
Hardening pens. Hardening pens should be spacious
conditioned for
enough to accommodate the stag and pullet and high
fighting while still
enough for the pair to roost. Adequate measurement
stags.
will be 5x5x5’ or 6x6x6’ although of course the bigger
the better.
Tie-cords. Aside from the regular tie cords, you may
also prepare some high cords and long or running
cords. High cords will exercise the stags’ wing and
breast muscles. Long or running cords will exercise
the legs and thigh muscles. The stags may take turns
in occupying the different types of tie cords.
Scratch boxes. The stags should also be placed in
scratch boxes regularly.
Lights. An area with available artificial lights will be
very helpful in pre-conditioning and conditioning the
stags.
Pullets. Prepare enough pullets to accompany the stag
in confinement.
When the stag is caught it should be placed in the small pen to
tame it and also for easier application of immediate post harvest care. After a while the stags will be rotated from the hardening pens with pullets
to the different tie cords and back.