(Mould & fungus infested planks)
( Look at the quality of the wood. This is the type of wood most Bhs are using range from Rm1600-Rm 2500. The benefits of using these woods is that its guarantee to grow fungus & Mould. Other advantages are no nests, birds won't make nests, you can enjoy rubbing the planks with fungus eliminator liquid available in the market and good arm exercise.)
(Few tweeters, less than 20 per floor. Birds don't favor this way of partitioning)
( All straight section no crossing)
( Inter hole at the wrong place)After visited Bhs in the North I headed down South to meet up with Mr.P of B. Pahat. He has been calling me often and asked when I could see his farm. It is a SOS call. Mr. P really needs help. He has been pestering me for weeks.
“Mr.James I need your help. Could you visit my Bh as soon as possible?”
“So Sorry Mr.P, sorry for the postponement. I shall be there by this week”.
“Mr.James I hope no more delay. Already 2-1/2 years there is not even 1 single nest in my Bh. I hope you could help to solve this problem”.
This is what happened to Mr. P’s BH. It is not Surprised many Bhs are facing such problem.
To me it can never be. How could a BH of 2-1/2 yrs without a single nest given the location such as B.Pahat. It must have been poorly done by those who have little knowledge about Swiltlets farming. There must be many things that haven’t met the average Bh’s requirements.
According to Mr. P his Bh was built by a local consultant who was introduced by a friend. This consultant has built quiet numbers of Bh in this area and is quiet well known that was why he engaged him.
I ask Mr. P is the internal environment OK? All he could answer was everything is good. That was the most dangerous reply. Often when a Swiftlet farmer says everything is good that means very big problem.
Never mind let me visit the BH and see what I could do. I had anticipated big problem with this BH.
The BH was located not far from B.Pahat town. Around this area there were many old pioneers successful BHs. Mr.P’s Bh is a double storey shop lot unit and the upper floor converted into a Bh.
As I went into the Bh I sensed many things that were not right. I told myself how could a so called well known person built Bh like this of course I didn’t tell Mr.P.
I ask Mr.P, didn’t you have a Hygrometer in the BH to monitor the Temperature and Humidity? What is that for replied Mr.P. No wonder he owned such farm and being fooled by those who are insincere. Mr. P practically knows very little about the technical aspect of Swiftlet farming. All he knew was as long there is a Bh birds would build nests in it. He was wrong.
Some of the problems were:
1) The temperature was too high. At noon my sensor gun recorded ceiling temp at 35C. There is no insulation material above the ceiling.
2) The Rh was too high as he on his humidifier almost 24 hour interval stop for ½ hour. I ask who decision was this to let the Humidifiers run for long hour. Mr.P replied it was my friend’s advice. I thought the longer it run the better it is.
3) All planks are fungus infested. The Bh is using poor quality wood as planks.( wrong plank or not suitable planks for Bh) Mr. P has tried to get rid of the fungus by applying anti fungus products available in the market that claimed 100% guarantee getting rid of fungus on planks. To a point he had succeeded but also at the same time getting rid of Swiftlet. (If the anti fungus products could get rid of the fungus on plank imagine how strong is its chemical substance. Birds senses are hundreds times stronger that human. They would avoid these planks that have anti fungus chemical substances.. The result clear plank with no fungus and no nests too.)
4) There were only few Tweeters in the Bh. The formation of the tweeters was wrong. It doesn’t guide the birds to fly deeper into the Bh.
5) Poor Internal and External sound. Both sounds are almost similar.It is not attractive at all. If I am not mistaken I heard this sound 7 years ago. The quality is extremely poor. I guess the consultant uses the same sound all over and over again for all the Bh he builds.
6) The design was totally out. If I were the birds I wouldn’t want to fly into the Bh because I may not find my way out left dying inside.
7) The Bh is either too dark or too bright. Those areas supposed to be dark are bright and via versa. So it is another upside down technique.
8) There is no aroma smell in it. Except few big bags of Amonia left on the floor. I ask whose Idea was this Mr.P claimed “the consultant”. I told him do you know the new generation of Bh don’t use Amonia anymore? I explain to him using Amonia is just like using Cassette Tape Player in Bh. Now all are using Amp with SD/Usb port. Do you want to be left behind?
9) The partitioning was wrong and it restricts the flying route of birds. Birds don’t favor the middle section to do its circling flight so having inter holes and 2nd and 3rd entrances in the middle is wrong. (I wonder how many people know this..Never mind)
10)……and there are 101 things that were not right. Can’t finish writing…
With such condition no wonder after 2.5 years not even 1 nest. So that is no longer a surprise after I had witnessed it by myself.
Again and again I have stressed the importance of having at least a little knowledge about the technical aspect of Swiftlet farming by having a little knowledge you would definitely not fooled by the consultant you engaged. And sometimes cheap is not an option, remember “when you pay peanuts, you get monkeys”, it is as simple as that.
It is not easy to salvage Mr.P’s farm. To be sincere it needs major renovation to revive this Bh. The Planks have to be removed, walls and partition have to go too. Re-wiring the whole tweeters wire and set up a new sound system and so on. It is the same as building a new farm.
That is the price Mr.P has to pay for, for getting the wrong person to build a Bh. The money he has invested or spent can never be recovered it is the same as one saying “It is the same as dumping the money in to the sea”. Sad for him I guess he learns thru paying a hefty price.
I advised him what to do and it’s all up to him. I give him a list of things needed to be done. Otherwise if he waits it would still be no nest that is a sure guarantee from me.
I’ve seen and visited many Bh similar to Mr.P farm and sad to see many being manipulated and fooled. I sincerely hope one day more Swiftlet farmers are of learned and at least have some knowledge about Bh so they won’t be easily manipulated.
So Remember “Peanut attracts Monkeys” I am sure you don’t want monkeys in your Bh.
Good Swiftlet farming All!