To know whether your dream Standalone Swiftlet farm is properly
designed by the consultant or the Sifu that you had engaged all you need to do
is to look at the Entrance Hole size of your Swiftlet farm.
I have just received a call from a reader regarding about
Owl attack and I would like share with
all readers. It is related to the size of the Entrance Hole of his Swiftlet
farm.
“Hi James, I found
dead birds in my Swiftlet farm. There are some big white patches of dropping
and some pellets the size of a thumb at the Roving area. Do you know what is
it?”
I replied, “ it is
Owls. Where is your Swiftlet farm located?”.
He replied, “In a
plantation North of Selangor.”
I told him that the Owl had invaded his Swiftlet farm, and
he has to do something. It is a serious matter.
“Don’t you have Sharp
Spikes at the Entrance Hole to prevent Owls from perching?” I asked.
He remained silent
for a few seconds and replied, “I can’t install Sharp Spikes at the Entrance
Hole James”.
“Why you cannot
install Spikes at the Entrance Hole? I asked again”
“Oh James, the
Entrance is a door type, size 3x7ft”.
I was wondering why one would make a 3x7ft door size
Entrance Hole for a Standalone Swiftlet Farm located in a Plantation area
knowing that there are many predators such as Owls, Bats, Hawks, Civet Cats,
etc in such area.
Perhaps they didn’t know, and this could be the reason
behind the large Entrance Hole size or simply out of convenience. Go and have a
look at the Entrance Hole of your Swiftlet farm you would know how skillful the
consultant or the Sifu you have engaged.
An Entrance hole size of 3x2 or 3x3ft is good enough for a
Standalone located in the plantation area.
Even with these sizes predators could easily enter the Farm. Often sharp
spikes of 4” or more, or electrified wire with low voltage are put at the
bottom of the Entrance Hole to prevent Predators from perching and coming into
the Farm.
But this doesn’t mean after having installed spikes or electrified
wire the Swiftlet farm is 100% predators proof. What more a huge size Entrance
hole without these spikes or wires? With spikes or electrified wire it reduces
the percentage, but small Owls (night Owl) and the Hawks still could fly into
the Swiftlet farm. This is the few disadvantages of Standalone located in the plantation area.
There is no formulation here, it is very straightforward,
remember Standalone located in plantation area should adopt a small size
Entrance hole. While Swiftlet farms located in town area could adopt a bigger
size Entrance hole like 3x7ft door type or Dog Kennel 3x4ft. The Door type
Entrance hole is commonly used in the Open roof type of Swiftlet farms. In the
town area predator attacks are rare, the common problem is pests such as
rodents, ants, lizard, etc. So having a big Entrance hole for Swiftlet farms in
town area is not an issue unlike those located in Plantation.
Now by looking at the size of the Entrance hole of your
dream Swiftlet farm, you know how skillful the one who had built your Swiftlet
farm.
Good Swiftlet Farming All!