(a Multiple -Entrance hole Bh. One of the Entrance hole on the right has been sealed as the owner discovered that not more Entrance is better)Is multiple Entrance-Hole is good? Let see and find out. What is Entrance- Hole? Entrance-Hole is the gateway or I call it the highway where birds could access to the farm, in and out without any restriction. It supposed to be a two way flow of traffic. If the entrance hole flow is only one way or only good for the flow of one direction be it in or out then that is the end of the Bh.
It may look simple, all one needs is to open a hole at wall or the roof 1x2, 2x3, 3x4, 4x7’ and so on that’s about it and the Entrance-Hole is done.… no ..no.. no.. that is not the way.
Comment questions and problems faced, why birds don’t fly into the Bh? Why they fly in and but don’t stay? Why they don’t fly near the entrance hole,etc .Besides other internal factors often the Entrance hole is the cause of all these.
Lately there are many Bhs going for the Multiple-Entrance hole cited it is better, it would make their Bhs successful, “now is the trend so we follow lah”, “the consultant says so” and so on.
It is the trend and it is better? Have you analyzed it? Are sure it will do good to your Bh?
Multiple Entrance hole:
-Light density in a problem. More Entrance-Holes mean the Bh will be brighter which is not good. In order to control it more partitioning has to be erected. If the partitioning is not done properly and without observing the flying path of the birds then it would be threats to the Bh.
-More Entrance-Holes mean more movement air flows which could destabilize the internal environment. Birds dislike unstable micro.
-Predators such as Owls, Musang,etc can easily enter the Bh.
-Poor aroma control as the smell could easily escape thru all the entrance holes leaving the internal Bh as an open area.
-Poor sound control as the sound could escape and making the internal sound rebound ineffective.
-External sound confusion, making sound adaptation hard for the birds.
And many more for you find out since you want to be a successful Swiftlet farmer from here you would learn.
Knowing the above it doesn’t mean Multiple Entrance- hole should be totally avoided. Multiple Entrance hole has its advantages too. It is all up to you on how to make use of the best and avoid those that are threats.
-Good for Big multiple storey Bh ( 4 storey and above) that stretched more than 100ft in length.
-Good for New Bh for the cement smell and other odor to escape thru the multiple entrances.
-Movement of air to cool the Bh that has temperature problem (but as the air flows in and out so do all the birds, eventually all never come back. It may have a good temperature but no birds and nests.)
-Easy maneuver at the Entrance-hole areas. Will attract lots of birds when sound first started and eventually less and less.
So when you build a Bh make sure you know the pros and cons.
Good swiftlet farming All!