Fighting Chickens
Disclaimer: This article does not endorse the use of chickens in fights for entertainment. Any mention of cockfights or similar events is only for informative purposes.
Fighting chickens, mainly roosters, are game fowl specifically reared to be pitted against each other in a ring called a cockpit. The origins of cockfighting can be traced back to around 2500 BC in the Indus Valley Civilization. In ancient Greece, it also served as a tool for military training, with the ferocity of the fighting roosters meant to inspire soldiers before going to war. Rooster fighting spanned throughout Europe, appealing to everybody from nobility to the common folk. Eventually, European colonizers brought the sport to the New World, where it became popular in places like Cuba, Puerto Rico, and Mexico.
Today, most countries have imposed restrictions or outright bans on cockfighting due to its cruelty and inhumane nature. The sport often involved attaching metal spurs to the birds’ claws to heighten the excitement of the fights, which only increased their suffering. Nowadays, the focus has shifted to showcasing the beauty of these game fowl in exhibitions and shows instead of focusing on their fighting abilities.
List of Different Fighting Chicken Breeds
Chickens used in cockfights were typically reared to be more aggressive, with higher strength and stamina. Historically, the following breeds were used for cockfighting.
- Malay Gamefowl
- American Game
- Asil
- Thai Game
- Old English Game
- Sumatra
- Ayam Cemani (rarely outside of Bali)
- Shamo
- Spanish Gamefowl
Fighting Chicken Variants
Rather than distinct breeds, these are specialized chicken strains bred to preserve qualities such as color, intelligence, or endurance. Many of these breeds are strains of the American Game, while others are variants of the Old English Game.
- Gray Game
- Lacy Roundhead
- Blueface
- Claret
- Hatch
- Kelso
- Leiper
- Radio
- Twist
- Sweater
- Brown Red Game
- Pumpkin Hulsey
The Modern Game is a fascinating breed, boasting gamecock ancestry but bred solely for show. Unlike its progenitors, the Old English Game and Malay, the Modern Game chicken is docile and easy to handle.
Current Overview of Rooster Fighting Around the Globe
Despite being a bloodsport, there are still countries where roosters fight for entertainment. Notable ones include:
- Cuba — Legal, though gambling on them is banned.
- France — Mostly banned but allowed to continue in a few places where the tradition has existed. No new arena construction is allowed.
- India — While cockfighting is banned, it still takes place sometimes in the southern part of the country during festivals.
- Indonesia — Partially banned. Betting on cockfights is illegal except for religious reasons, but it isn’t always strictly enforced.
- Mexico — While banned in the capital, Mexico City, cockfighting persists throughout Mexico, taking place in fairs and similar places.
- Pakistan — Betting on fighting chickens is illegal, but local law enforcement rarely enforces the law or takes action.
- Peru — Legal but controlled. Attempts have been made to ban cockfights, but they have been overturned.
- Philippines — Legal but controlled. As cockfighting has been a part of the Philippines’ history since time immemorial, it persists and takes place in arenas and on holidays.
- Spain — Legal in only two regions – Andalusia and the Canary Islands, though it is becoming rarer in the former.
- Vietnam — Legal. While initially popular in certain parts of the country, rooster fights have spread throughout the country.
In places like Puerto Rico, cockfighting remains lucrative, and there have been difficulties in enforcing federal laws preventing it.
