( Using staircase as Inter-hole. Too narrow, width: 3.5ft )
( Tweeters arrangement fails. Too few Tweeters. Centre without Tweeters.) 
( The Nesting Planks are another problem fungus & mold friendly.Look at the color. Seeing is believing. )
( Birds prefer to build nest on wall than on Nesting planks)
( Second Entrance hole too low for birds to dive in. Wrong Design))
( The Staircase already too narrow. The pillar make it worse)It was sad to see Mr .L’s Bh in such condition. I was surprised when I step inside the Bh. Everything doesn’t seems well. The micro is a problem, the design restricted birds to maneuver, the tweeters and sound system set up are wrong, the Nesting planks and its formation are wrong too….etc. The list could go on and on. See the pictures you know what I mean. Seeing is believing.
Mr. L had waited for almost 3 months before I visit his Bh. “My sincere apology Mr.L” for letting you wait. He had called me earlier but my schedule was tight. After many SOS calls from him I finally drive down to Johor to see what I could do to help him.
His Bh is located in the Prime Birds Zone with plenty of green (Plantation). The location was good and I have no complains. It is a 3 storey 20x80’ standalone. It had operated for almost 3 years now. Sadly it has less than 10 nests. Unbelievable, in such good location…why? You won’t understand until you have the opportunity to see inside.
It was built by a well know local consultant. The cost of the building is not cheap, it is much more expensive than what I charge for a 20x80, 3 storey. This Bh don’t have Styrofoam insulation between bricks to stabilize the temperature. Never mind…
The design was a problem. It uses the stair case as the inter hole for birds to access all floors. The stair case is too narrow making maneuver a problem.
Some Bhs are using staircase as an inter hole because they don’t have a choice as most are shop lot units. Standalone is different which I call it custom design and made we can decide the size of the inter-hole to suit what we want and locate it at the most suitable place in the Bh. I don’t see why this consultant is not practicing this.
Why want to restrict it to the staircase which is so narrow. Perhaps….Reason being 1) to save cost and make more profit.2) don’t understand about birds flying behavior. 3) Poor knowledge and skills in swiftlet farming.
Because of the narrowness of the inter-hole (staircase) the second and ground floor were in total darkness and this won’t encourage birds to make nests. The 1st floor was too bright and hot therefore birds won’t make nests as well.
What surprised me was there is a clear indication of evidence showing what birds really want but Mr.L didn’t notice it. There were nests built on the concrete of the staircase near the entrance hole. That area is neither too bright nor dark. I pointed it out to Mr.L and explained to him why this is happening. Why birds had chosen this area instead of all the floors in the Bh. He was blurred.
Mr.L then replied, “James I thought birds like it dark, the darker the better.” I asked him again, “who did you learn this from?”. Mr.L replied, “Oh the consultant who built this Bh said so.”
The places where the nests were built indicate the condition of a Bh. I guess many of you had never thought of that. This is really important especially for new Bhs. From here we would understand and know whether the Bh is Swiftlet friendly or Swiftlets restricted .ha.ha.
Everything in a Bh indicates something, be it bird’s dropping or nests location And etc . Don’t take it lightly. To many people this is just a normal scenario to me this is a vital information and feedback that could help me to know whether the environment of the Bh needs adjustment.
It is sad to see a Bh being built this way. Not a single thing in this Bh had followed the basic of swiftlet farming. The person who built this Bh only has one aim which is constructing a building not a Swiftlet farm.
So now Mr.L has to bear the heavy cost of revamping the Bh. It is going to be a major one. No point of waiting as I am very sure for the next 3-5 years there will not be any changes in nests growth, unless he revamp the Bh.
Some call it luck and faith but if a Bh is built without even following the basic then would luck and faith helps? I can assure you NO. Luck and faith only come when you have done your part, which as for the Bh it must have the basic of swiftlet farming in it from the location of the Inter-hole and entrance hole to the Bh’s design.
There are many Bhs out there facing the same problem like Mr.L’s Bh. Some just wait, some are too embarrass to seek help, some don’t even know that their Bhs are in trouble and etc.
Now I have to come out with a design plan to assist Mr.L to revamp his 3 storey 20x80 Bh.
So is Standalone hard to be successful which many claimed or they just didn't do it properly? See the pictures yourself then you know what I mean.
Good swiftlet farming All!