With the current rise of price of the Raw Birds Nests, theft has been rampant. You can't escape from this if you have successful Swiftlets farms. My Swiftlets farms were broken into again. The thieves seemed to know which one to go for. In the past 3 months, they have broken into the same Swiftlets farm 3 times. It was well planned. It must have been done by the people from the same industry and executed by professionals. They know exactly when to go in and with right timing. As if the Swiftlet farms belong to them. They came and harvest before you.
They came in from the roof, because it is a Shop lot unit. The roof already is reinforced with double layered cement boards, zinc plates and added with additional 2"x3" wood crossing. They have to remove the asbestos roof, internal zinc plates, cement board and the wood crossing. Not an easy job but there are determined to do it.
If they can hammer through the wall of a Standalone, to them coming in through the roof is peanut.
It is not so much about losing the nests. It hurts me when I saw all the chicks and eggs on the floor. I don't condone killing. In my countless years of involvement in Swiftlets farming, I had never done "force harvesting". Some people brag about how they force harvest and the birds population and nests increased after that. That is purely a myth and it is stupid to do that. If you believe in karma you would know what will happen to the Swiftlets farm in the near future.
So I am adding another layer of roof over the asbestos roof and will install barb wire around the perimeter of the roof. If they still want to break in they still could. This is to make it harder for them.
( Thick graded Zirconium Metal roof)
( Steel Battens are secured onto the Asbestos before the Metal Roof sheets are screwed on top.)
(This is how it looks like after completed)
( This how they hacked the wall of a Standalone)
This Open roof Swiftlet farm is very potential target in the eyes of the thieves. Go to the roof, use a rope and down you go into the roving area.... that's about it. If given a choice I always opt for the Dog kennel design. Most of my Swiftlet farms are of Dog Kennel design. They do have better advantages than the Open roof type. (Will discuss that in my next article).
A couple of months ago I went back to my hometown, Taiping. A well-known heritage town in Perak. The Birds nests here are the most sought after due to its high quality ( clean, white and big size). Taiping has the highest annual rainfall in the country. Now you know why humidity is important.
There are many Swiftlet farms here, some have been here since the early 70's. Some are harvesting beyond the 30kg mark per month. This attracted lots of attention. It is not surprising that most Swiftlet farms here had their roofs reinforced with metal sheets covering over the old roof tiles. Most of them are of the Pre-war shop lots.
(This is a 60 x 100ft building with the 3 top floors converted into Swiftlet farm, a very huge farm)
A close up look at the entrance hole. A huge 2x10ft horizontal type. It does make sense given the huge size of the farm. It needs a big entrance hole.
(
Another Swiftlet farm with metal roof )
Good Swiftlet farming all.
Need more information please contact: swifjames@yahoo.com
Tel: 012 3173811
为旧的燕屋农场增加燕窝。保留年轻的燕子居住。吸引新的燕子入住。引诱燕子进入新的燕屋农场。
INCREASES NESTS IN OLD SWIFTLETS FARMS. RETAINS YOUNG BIRDS TO STAY. ATTRACT NEW BIRDS TO STAY. LURE BIRDS TO ENTER NEW SWIFTLETS FARMS.
为旧的燕屋农场增加燕窝。保留年轻的燕子居住。吸引新的燕子入住。引诱燕子进入新的燕屋农场。