Swiftlet Sanctuary About Ready To Receive Swiftlets

There have been little report on the progress of my swiftlet sanctuary lately. Today, I would like to inform that my sanctuary is almost ready. I am calling my birdhouse a sanctuary because this is what the place really is that, a shelter conducive for swiftlets to stay. The sound system has been installed and the electricity has been connected. The plumbing works with fountains and internal drainage is almost completed with only minor pipe works still to be carried out. Though there is a stream flowing through, I will not be using the stream water. I have engaged a contractor to bore into the ground and I will be using underground water for my ponds and fountains as well as for daily use. My workers is doing the cleaning up, cleaning the floors and scrapping left over concrete from the affected nesting planks. My workers will also be patching the holes left by the plumbing works and will waterproofed them as well as waterproofing part of the roof slab which have hairline cracks. All these works will take another few days to complete and hopefully I will be able to commission my sanctuary by 1st july 2009. I have picked a few aromas to apply prior to commissioning the sanctuary. I will by applying different aromas to different parts of the sanctuary, one into the plastic containers on the floor, one into the water fountain on the 1st floor, one to the walls and a portion of the nesting planks. Lets see which part will have the nest first.

On top of the Hollow

1st., 2nd. and 3rd. floor topped up with a layer of wire mesh
and 1 1/2 inch cement mortar to strengthen the floor slab

Piping works to pool

4-way tweeter and hexagonal tweeter on top of pole

Another view of 4-way tweeter and hexagonal tweeter
The Hollow mouth is open wide to welcome the swiftlets.
Notice the tweeters at the corner and edge

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Simple but Hard

I was attracted to Swifjames article on It is Dam Simple The Truth It is Dam Hard. This is really true and he seems to be a wise swiftlet farmer. My wife's family farm which is almost 1 year and 9 months old and the pioneer farm in Tirok has about slightly more than 100 nests, a figure which many swiftlet successful farmers would think is not encouraging. But I would like to tell my readers that this not so. In my area in Tirok and the surrounding areas, there are now more than 10 standalone farms. I have checked with other owners and found that the result is almost similar, in fact less encouraging than mine. Most of the farms have not reached the 50 nests mark yet. This area is in the swiftlets flight path and they prefer to go home to KT town to roast.

To those who look down on my farm (I know of one boostful guy in the net) I challenge them to come and build one in Tirok. I can look for land in Tirok, whether they want to JV with the land owner or to buy them I can arrange.

There is a birdhouse which is already 4 storey high and is currently renovating to 5 storey. Though I haven't check with the owner, I guessed the result is not very encouraging and he added an additional floor solely to make the building higher, to be above all the tall trees to attract the swiftlets flying over. There are no other reasons for him to add another floor as the birdhouse is already huge, and when full, as the Hockkiens say, "ciak beh liao". This owner had owned a few birdhouses in town and this is his 1st. standalone. It is already hard building above shophouses in town and it is more difficult building standalone far away from the walet central.

I have passed through many standalone farms in KT, mostly in the outskirts, in the evening and did not see any activities. These could be among the 80% failed farms. You need knowledge and intelligence to be successful. Preserverance is not enough.

To quote James,

"One thing most Swiftlet farmers must need to know is that Swiftlet farming looks dam easy to do and the truth is dam hard to be done which most have to swallow.Commonly most would think that just get a building , close all the windows , open a hole, install some planks, fix the sound system that's about it and wait for the money to pour in."

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