Almost any modern person has heard about cockfights. In our country, they did not take root, but in many countries of the world are quite popular. But fighting chicken can be a good addition to an ordinary household. Of course, for this you need to learn more about this breed, its features and the correct content.
Breed history
To begin with, the main breed of fighting chickens is called “ingigames”. And her native land is not India, as is commonly thought, but England.
In the eighteenth century, India was a colony of the powerful British Empire. Not surprisingly, soldiers and officers born on the shores of foggy Albion became interested in local entertainment - cockfights. Subsequently, the birds used for these purposes were introduced into England. It turned out that they did not shine with special strength. Therefore, she was crossed with Malay fighting chickens and English. As a result, the bird not only retained its fighting spirit, but also became faster, stronger, more resilient. And that is how modern fighting hens or “ingames” came about.
Subsequently, they were exported to Latin America, where cockfights became very popular. Of course, local breeders set up experiments by crossing live cocks with hens of local breeds. So, several dozen varieties of feathered breeds were created.
Already from here roosters and hens began to be actively imported back to India, where the descendants of the travelers became the best fighters.
How do they look
It is worth noting that the fighting breeds of chickens are quite different from ordinary ones even externally.
Their weight is quite large. Chickens weigh about 3 kilograms, but roosters reach 4 and even 5 kilograms! A very good indicator for a farmer who wants to get a lot of quality meat.
The hens themselves are not too tall, but well-knit. Legs are widely spaced, very strong. Shins and hips are well developed - many generations of breeders have achieved exactly this result.
The back and chest are powerful, slightly rounded. And the neck is thick, short and muscular, thanks to which cocks during fights inflict very powerful blows on opponents.
The head is rather small, which is why it looks very disproportionate against the background of a powerful body. The earrings and the comb are small - this was also the result of the focused work of the craftsmen.
Tails are magnificent, dense and short.
The plumage is characterized by density and unusual color. The most common are white and yellow fighting hens. But sometimes you can also see brown, white and even blue birds.
A bit about character
Before you get fighting hens and cocks, you should seriously weigh all the advantages and disadvantages. Still, unlike most breeds, they are quite aggressive. It is not surprising - for centuries this quality, important for fighters, has been cultivated. Therefore, the content should be very careful. It is desirable to place roosters of fighting breeds separately from others. Yes, and two cocks in one pen, not to mention the cage, keeping is also not recommended. Otherwise there will be constant fights, one of which sooner or later will end with the death of a weaker bird.
However, the rooster may well attack the owner. Moreover, this can happen quite unexpectedly - simply because the aggressor will think that a person poses some kind of danger to him and his family. At best, the case will end with deep scratches.
Productivity
But Indian fighting chicken cannot boast of high egg production. On average, she brings about 100 eggs for the whole year, but often even less. The eggs are not very large - about 58-60 grams. The color of the shell is cream or white.
As already mentioned, the birds of this breed are very large. However, they grow quite slowly. By about 7–8 months, hens begin to lay their eggs, and roosters become fully mature. However, they reach the above weight only by the year with proper, balanced nutrition. Therefore, fighting hens in Russia did not receive wide popularity. Cockfights as a sport in our country are not very popular. These hens lay much less eggs than representatives of other breeds. In addition, farmers will not want to keep birds, carefully fattening and caring, for a whole year to get meat, not every farmer.
Therefore, if they are turned on, it is usually just out of curiosity and desire to try something new that goes beyond the usual farming.
Suitable diet
One of the main advantages of Indian fighting chickens is its high weight. However, in order for the birds to reach the maximum limit, it is very important to provide them with a suitable diet. Otherwise, although they will be larger than most breeds, they still have not reached their limit.
To begin with, they must receive a large amount of protein. In summer, the problem is partially solved with free grazing. Birds are happy to eat worms, beetles, larvae and other insects that they can find. In winter, this need will have to be met completely artificially. It is advisable to use special food additives and animal feed.
Do not forget about minerals and vitamins. Large birds especially need them - otherwise the bones will be too weak, which will lead to frequent injuries and illnesses. Therefore, bone meal will become a reliable assistant in solving this issue.
And, of course, it is very important to provide the birds with clean drinking water. Shamo fighting hens, like any other chicken, are highly susceptible to infectious diseases. And many diseases are transmitted through dirty water. For this reason, it is best to install special drinking bowls in the chicken coop or paddock, from which birds can always get drunk with clean, fresh water.
How to care for them
Chickens of this breed are remarkable for their amazing activity. Therefore, keeping them all year round in a chicken coop or, especially, cages, is by no means possible. The best choice would be a regular paddock. Here the birds will be able to run and actively develop.
You also need to select the appropriate feeders - otherwise active hens will constantly tip them. About drinkers already mentioned above.
Do not contain fighting breeds of chickens with others. On the one hand, this will lead to frequent conflicts. On the other hand, it will necessarily result in a loss of genetic purity. However, if your goal is to get a hybrid, in which the chicken will bring a lot of eggs and at the same time have a large mass, then this decision should be reviewed.
The plumage of the breed is dense, but not too thick. Therefore, chickens suffer very cold. In the cold season, it is very important to provide a warm, cozy chicken coop in which birds can take shelter from frost. It is very important to provide reliable protection against drafts. They can harm any birds, and even this, bred in a mild climate, a cold draft will probably be a death sentence.
If you can’t keep them in a spacious paddock, you must at least ensure daily walks. Even in winter, if the temperature is not too low, hens should be let out of the chicken coop for at least an hour or two. Due to this, they grow more healthy, the muscular frame is strengthened, immunity is significantly improved.
It is also necessary to monitor cleanliness. Chickens generally do not like dirt - because of it various infections and simple parasites can develop that can cause serious harm to the health of birds. Therefore, weekly (and if a large number of chickens live on a small site, then almost daily) cleanings should become a familiar part of your schedule.
Incubation
It's hard to believe, but most of the Indian fighting breed of chickens are great hens. But there are certain nuances.
The reader already knows that hens are quite heavy. Therefore, make sure that the future mother does not crush the eggs. To do this, they must have a fairly strong shell. Therefore, at least for the period when the chickens will lay eggs, from which it is planned to raise chickens, it is very important to enrich their diet with minerals - primarily calcium.
Also ensure that the eggs are fertilized. A simple ovoscope is useful for this. Unfortunately, some fighting breed cocks prefer to fight with opponents than to devote time to their many wives. It is not always possible to find a suitable option. Well, laying unfertilized eggs under a chicken, it’s silly to hope for a good offspring.
Finally, it is worth remembering that, unlike other breeds of chickens, representatives of this have not too extensive plumage. Therefore, many eggs cannot be put under one brood hen.
But when she lays on her eggs, you don’t have to worry - she will definitely finish the job.
Chick Care
Unfortunately, the percentage of surviving chickens is not too large - rarely exceeds 70%. The weak die in the early days and even hours of life. The fact is that they are very sensitive to the slightest temperature changes, not to mention drafts.
An additional danger is infection. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain cleanliness at the highest level.
In the first days of life, the best food for chickens will be boiled millet and hard-boiled eggs. You can gradually introduce finely chopped greens - dandelions, young nettles.
Most common diseases
Many breeds have certain genetic deficiencies. And fighting hens, photos of which are attached to the article, are no exception. Their main disadvantage is poor health. Even if they create excellent conditions of detention and provide high-quality food, a certain percentage of juveniles and even adults will die.
Most often, parasites cause problems. For example, ticks and fleas can carry bacterial and viral infections, and at the same time reduce overall immunity. To prevent this from happening, you need to periodically inspect the skin of hens.
Many problems are caused by poohoids, destroying the already thin cover of fluff. Alas, in this case, hens usually cannot be cured. It's easier to put them under a knife - such an attack will not affect the taste of meat.
Another possible disease is asthma. But it usually occurs only under the wrong conditions of detention. For example, if chickens live their whole lives in cramped, poorly ventilated and dusty rooms. If you provide good ventilation and clean air, you can be sure that hens will not encounter such an unpleasant disease.
Pros and cons of the breed
Approaching the end of the article, we should briefly summarize it, highlighting the main strengths and weaknesses of the breed.
The undoubted advantages include the excellent taste qualities of meat. And a large amount of valuable product in each chicken and rooster is a very serious advantage. An interesting appearance can also be attributed to the advantages of the breed. Finally, fighting Indian chicken has excellent brood instincts, which simplifies the breeding process.
Alas, it does not do without minuses here. Not too good immunity stands out among them, because of which chickens often suffer from viral diseases. It is also worth noting the exactingness to feed - you need to provide birds with a large amount of protein. Finally, the high mortality among chickens is also unlikely to please the breeder.
Conclusion
On this our article comes to an end. Now you know more about the Indian fighting chicken. So, you can decide whether this breed is suitable for you or whether it makes sense to breed other, more suitable breeds.