Mr.T picked me up at the Hotel at 9.00 am. We headed to
a restaurant famous for noodles.
Yes, the Sabah famous Noodle "Sang Yok Men". I am very sure all
Sabahan knows it. Our itinerary was to visit a 20x80 ft, 3 storey Swiftlet farm
located in Kimanis.
It was understood that the temperature of this Swiftlet farm
was a major problem. Mr.T explained, on a hot day the internal temperature could rise to 32C. I
told Mr. T at 32C it would be hard for Birds to stay and build nests. There
must be something wrong with the walls.
( A beautiful 3 storey Swiftlet farm from outside)
Well, I don't really favor Light Weight Brick (LWB), and I
have my reason to do so. To be frank, none of the Swiftlet farms that I had
built since my involvement in Swiftlet farming is using LBW. When LBW first
came out I knew it would cause problems. Perhaps it is good for houses or
factories but definately a no for Swiftlet farm.
If I could remember
it was heavily promoted by a few individuals 3-5 years ago. Many Swiftlet farms
were using it then. I guess by now you would hardly see any Bh using it. Why
people are not using it now.
Because ...............time will tell! That was 3-5 years
ago and the result after using LWB prevails.
(Single layered Light Weigh Bricks )
This Swiftlet farm is using
LWB, and the temperature is 32C. Let me explain why and how. A good example would be like rearing Goldfish or Koi.
Comparing, both a plastic/ fiberglass tank and a cement
tank/pond. In theory, the plastic or a fiberglass tank is much better. It is
cheaper, won't break or crack easily, light and portable, easy to work with,
save time, etc. Whereas for the cement pond it is expensive, crack and break
easily, take time to build, high maintenance, needs good workmanship and
skills, etc...
On paper, the plastic/fiberglass tank is better than the
cement pond. So should all who wanted to rear Koi go for the plastic/fiberglass
tank?.. Ask the Koi expert they will definitely say "NO". Given a
choice they would prefer cement pond.
Cement pond is much cooler it reduces the water
temperature and more stable. Microorganism could grow on the cement walls easily unlike
plastic which is artificial. This microorganism helps to purify the water and
maintain its pH thus creates better water quality. Fishes in cement pond are
healthier their body colors are better.
So now you know why LWB is not preferred and Red Clay Brick
is still the best choice. LWB doesn't help in natural evaporation as they
contain foam inside , it is very much artificial material. Throw a LWB in water
it will float. You could use them as a lifejacket.
Secondly LWB needs good and thoroughly plaster work. The
joints have to be sealed properly and perfectly. This is to prevent drought air
from flowing through the joint gaps. Both sides of the walls need to be
plastered.
But how many have
done this? Most are done without plastered or just one side.
I have written about the vaporization effect in a Swiftlet
farm before in my other articles. You could search them in my Blog.
I had said many times building Swiftlet farm is not about
cost and time saving. What happened to those Cargo Metal Container that was
once used to build swifftlet farms? What happened to those Swiftlet farms that
use cement board sandwiched with Styrofoam? ..... And those using nylon canvas
to build?
They made headlines, and everybody followed. They were
heavily promoted and now what happened to those Swiftlet farms?....failed.
Ok...let go back to the Swiftlet farm in Kimanis. Along the
way to Mr.T's farm, there are few
successful ones located 1-2 km down the main road. Some
have been there for almost 2 years the same time he started, and now
they are harvesting 1kg a month.
It clearly shows a good location but how come Mr.T's
farm has nothing after 2 years? We will
do some investigation and find out.
(A nice pond below the Farm)
As far as the external environment concern this place passes with flying colors. The farm is built on top of the water. The owner purposely makes a small pond so that the Farm could sit on top of it. The investment cost is not small. He is willing to spend additional amounts just to make sure the farm would yield profit. But he didn't realize that it needs more than building it on top of the water.
While we were inside Mr.T asked, "James how come it is
so hot inside? I thought the LWB would help".
I explained, LWB
doesn't absorb water it wouldn't release moist so your farm is hot and dry
inside. When you swicthed on the humidifiers it will be too wet as LWB doesn't
absorb water. When the Humidifiers are switched off the farm would be too dry.
So there is a big gap of changes thus making the farm uninhibited by birds.
This farm is too bright it adopt the lifeshaft type roving
which the roving area covers all the way to the ground floor. Every floor has a
second entrance hole. Often this type of design allows light to penetrate
directly into the nesting areas. The 2nd floor is most affected as it closes to
the entrance hole.
Definately partitionings are needed in every floor to reduce
the brightness. The partitions have to be erected in different areas and
different sizes are needed. The ground floor needs fewer partitions as the
light gradually reduces as it shines toward the ground floor.
As I have mentioned many times before, Birds seldom fly in the
middle. They prefer to fly 2-3 ft from the wall in a circular motion. The
middle section is not the their flying routes. With this in mind, why people
still install tweeters in the middle? There is only one exception, the
Octagonal tweeter for the purpose of surround sound.
The most important
area like corners were neglected. Go and see
your farm where were those first new nests built. You tell me! Then why
still fix tweeters at the middle and not at the corner?
Mr.T could have learned from somewhere or someone. Now you
know not all Sifus know about Swiftlet farming.
( Not a proper partitioning)
The purpose of a partition is to block away light and to
reduce brightness. Whereas for this partition it defeats the purpose. It was
built below the planks, that means the light still can passes through the gaps
between the ceiling and the partition. So who revamped this farm? Sincerely I
don't want to know.
( Fungus infested planks)
( A typical Shop lot copied design)
The original idea of putting an inter room entrance in the
middle came from those old shop houses. Old shop houses built before the 90's
most of them were designed with the intention of the 1st and 2nd floor as
residential.
Therefore there are rooms in it, noticeably 2 rooms at the
front and 2 rooms at the back area or more. When all these Shop houses were
converted into Swiftlet farms the original doors were used as Inter room
entrances. They were not specially designed or placed there, it was improvised.
As these Shop houses (Swiftlet farm) started to attract
birds and have nests inside, those who visited these Shop houses copied the
design. This idea was applied to Standalone which is unnecessary. A Standalone
is totally new build building from ground zero. We are given the choice where
and how we want our entrance hole, inter farms hole, etc to be.
( Powdery surface of the Plank)
It was a bad day for Mr.T, I told him his Bh needs a major
overhaul 70% of the Nesting Plank is infested with fungus. He didn't notice it
until I told him. He claimed he bought the planks from a good reliable wood
supplier and the Nesting planks are of good Meranti.
Well if it is good Meranti like those that I am selling then
there shouldn't be any fungus problem. Look at the color of those planks how
could it be good Meranti. Good Meranti is Brown in color not light pink.
The supplier assured him that this is the best Meranti wood
available claimed Mr.T......sad really sad.
( Birds won't build nests of such condition planks)
There is powder on
all the planks I wonder how Swiftlet Saliva is going to stick onto these planks
when they make nests.
There are so many things needed to be done. One by one I
told Mr.T it was like a one to one coaching. I told him you could ask as many
questions you want (of course related to Swiftlet farming).
"Mr.T if you can't remember what you could do is write
them down and ask me tomorrow"
With a laugh I told him I am still waiting for a question
that I couldn't answer. I am still waiting for that question since I started my
blog in 2008.
A revamped plan has been drawn up. Now it is all up to Mr.T
to do it.
( This Gecko was found inside the farm)
There were big lizards inside the farm. These are not those house lizards. They measured about 8" ....killed by Mr.T.
A revamp plan has been given to Mr.T and it contains the
followings:
1) Wall insulation is needed. Additional insulation material
to cover the outsize wall. ( My apology can't reveal here)
2) To erect partitions on all floors to reduce light.
Different size of partitions is needed.
3) Sound system plan to increase the number of Tweeters at
corners. Strategic corner area.
4) Reduce and reposition of the 2nd entrance hole at roving
for all floors.
5) Pest control
6) How to tune the Amplifier to attract Swiftlets to stay
and build nests
7) The differences between
Internal and External sound.
8) Tweeters arrangement for 2nd entrance hole and the Main
entrance hole.
9) Aroma usage
10).....
11)...........
12) and many more
After having visited many Swiftlet farms ...it is sad to see
many still being done wrongly.
Most are done by
people who have little knowledge about Swiftlet farming.Who is to be blamed?
Have I not exposed enough the insight of
Swiftlet Farming?
Swiftlet farming is all about fact and logic. It is result
oriented. We cannot say " I will try it out first and see how".
Remember your Swiftlet farm is not other people experiment laboratory.
Good Swiftlet farming All!.
