( Window sealed up with board with no ventilation Hole )
( Wood Bugs attacking the planks at the back of the tweeter. A new nest marking at left soon will be an uncompleted nest)
( Mould and fungus are attacking the Planks.)Last week I was invited to visit a farm in Taiping. The owner had spoken to me before this visit and he explained that he sees no flaws in his farm other than only 2 nests after 2 and a half years. There are also many uncompleted nest marking left behind by the birds.
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He told me…. “James I see no problem with my farm. Everything seemed to be fine”.
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I replied.”If everything is fine then it wouldn’t be 2 nests perhaps 200 nests by now”.
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That was about few months back ago until he can’t take it anymore seeing his life investment going down the drain and ask me to safe his farm.
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It was a 3 storey shop lot and the 2 upper floors were converted to Swiftlets farm. It was done by a local consultant there. How could it be after 2.5 years only 2 nests?. The best thing was a farm right opposite his is harvesting more than 10kgs per month and one farm next to his just started about a year ago has got 70 nests. Along that role there are few farms having very good harvest.
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What has gone wrong? As I had always said there will be no smoke if there is no fire. His farm is on fire and he couldn’t figure it out where the fire is.
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Before seeing his farm I knew it was very sick Bh. Definitely the farm micro cannot meet the standard requirement and the design of the farm is totally out but the owner didn’t notice this.
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His farm is located in a Prime Bird Zone area there are many birds there. Having 2 nests in 2.5 year is totally unacceptable.
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Mr. D, the owner was waiting for me at an electrical shop. His farm is just few block away. It was a good place. My first sight at 3pm plenty of birds roaming the sky. As I came down from my car I told myself this is one of a hell farm. A very sick one!.
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Mr. D greeted me and explained who the one that built his farm and how well he knows about swiflet farming. As usual most failed farm’ owners would think that the knowledge they have are the best. This is very common in fact this is human nature. By having such thought it will prevent them from learning or accepting new knowledge.
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We proceed to the farm, it was hot I could feel the hot air from the stair case. There must be ventilation problem. As I check out the farm I can’t see any ventilation hole. I ask Mr. D “why there are no ventilation holes? How the hot air going to escape?.”
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Mr.D, replied “the consultant says not need”.
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The farm is too bright, the partitioning is wrong and it prevents birds from flying deeper into the farm.
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The planks also have problem, mould and fungus and some even have wood bugs. Definitely these planks are not made specially for Swiftlet farming.
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I can say that out of 20 points score sheet his farm only score 2 points. That is he built it at the prime Zone area that has lots of birds and has good security system.
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With all these problems in his farm that is why 2 nests in 2.5 years. He has to rectify all of them if he wants his farm to improve otherwise his investment will be gone. In fact his investment has already gone for 2.5 years.
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I drafted out a plan of total revamp, removing some of the partitions and put them at other places. Those planks that are infested with wood bugs have to be removed. There shall be cost involved that he can’t avoid if he wants to safe his farm.
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After the visit we went for a drink and I explained everything to him. I told him, ask as many questions you want. If you don’t understand I shall explain it to you.
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After that I headed for Aulong which located not far from his farm.
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Good farming All!
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