I had visited this BH last month but didn’t have the time to post on my blog. I had almost forgotten about it until yesterday when I was running thru some pictures on my computer.
This BH had operated for more than a year. Currently there were only few Nests inside. Located in a Prime Zone Area and some of its neighbors are harvesting more than 10kg of Nests per month.
It is a 3 storey building with the top floor converted into a Swiftlet farm. There have been few revamps but still no good result. I was invited to have a look at this Bh.
I asked the owner. What has gone wrong? Let me investigate. The owner replied “James everything is OK. I think nothing is wrong. It was done by a famous person from ……. He is Mr…. Do you know him?”
As I had said many times “There will be No Smoke if there is No fire”.
It doesn’t matter who builds the BH. Swiftlets don’t care who is who or how famous he is. If the BH doesn’t suit them with good basic micro then they will not stay and build nests.
Perhaps most owners knew there is smoke but they are unable to find the fire. To find the fire it needs good Swiftlet farming skills.
( Tweeters facing one direct and too few of them)
When I entered the Bh within few step towards the middle of the Bh I discovered so many things that are not properly done. Without even needed to look at the Hygrometer I could feel a bad Micro control. The internal design was totally out. Imagine I have to ask the owner where the Entrance Hole is. It was too dark I can’t see light (ray) from the Entrance Hole. Birds are having hard time finding their ways in and out.
(Only paint black when necessary "NOT compulsory")
Below are the findings:
1) Too many Ventilation Holes. (They increased the number of Vent-Hole as the BH temperature rises. What they didn’t know is that they are allowing hot air from outside into the BH making the Micro uncontrollable).
2) No Insulation Materials above the Ceiling. (They have been building hundreds of Bhs for people this way so they continue to do so).
3) Gaps between all Nesting Planks and Ceiling. (The Ceiling Wood Skirting not removed. Probably to save works. Maybe that is the way they build Bh. Leaving gaps of about 1” above all Nesting planks. It creates movement of air that affects Nest Building).
4) High Temperature (with No Insulation Material it pushes up the Temperature)
5) Low Humidity (with so many Vent-Holes how could the RH maintain? This is a simple
Common sense)
6) Using the cheapest Nesting Planks available in the market. (Claimed to be Meranti).
7) Too few Internal and External tweeters.
8) Wrong Tweeters formation.
9) Internal Tweeters position installed wrongly. (It was not installed directly under the corner board. It was installed next to the corner board parallel to the planks).
10) Window sealed with ceiling board only.
11) Roving painted with black paint.
12) Sound System all wrongly set up (One Amp for all purpose)
13) Dangling wire everywhere.
14) Wrong position of the Entrance Hole
15) Roving Area too small
16) Wrong partitioning (affect flying path)
17)…..and many more
( It is better to install directly under the corner board)
The owner earlier said his Bh has got no problem so who is right? The list can go on….
The list of problems that need to be rectified will be given to the owner and I wouldn’t want to expose more here to safe the faces of the owner and his famous consultant.
So remember Swiftlets don’t care who builds the Farm. If the Micro screw up then that is the end of the BH. It doesn’t matter who builds the Swiftlet farm most important getting the basic correct.
The first step is to get the basic correct then the next step is to push up the population.
Good Swiftlet Farming All!