Yes! Finally the wall is down. Another partition is setup to create a roving area of 10'x13'.
The birds can fly into my BH easily now. Another concern is the BH is a bit brighter than before. Will see whether need additional partition to cover the light.
The answer is so simple for a swiftlet farmer; I would like a large swarm of swiftlets to populate my farm and produce bountiful crop of nests! Aside from that saliva inducing dream of a farm densely populated by swiftlets, I would like to have a pair of night vision goggles. Why? Because then I can then steal into the farm at night after all the swiftlets had returned home and do a bit of field research and observation. While one can install CCTV connected to a digital video recorder; yet it is much better to be able to observe the behaviors of the birds first hand. With the aid of the night vision google; I can walk around to observe areas where there are nests and birds. I think one can gain much insights from closely examine the life and activities of the birds, from the chicks to the matured birds. It would be a good idea to wear dark clothings so that I can be rendered “invisible” under the cover of utter darkness. However, a pair of night vision goggles does not come cheap as even the cheaper models cost over one thousand ringgit. I think it is not worthwhile to purchase such a tool. Perhaps I can try my luck by emailing a letter to Santa Clause telling him how good I have been throughout the year; and I wonder if by chance he has some stockpile of night vision goggles among his goodies…. Maybe he can spare me a pair….
As mentioned in my old article, I finally opened the roof top to allow smooth flying path for birds fly in more direction. But I have no time to relocate my hexagon position until last week.
The next thing on my "To Do list" is to fix some "Owl" preventive tool to prevent the owl to go into my BH. 
There are different types of wires that are used in swiftlet farms. In the photo, one can see four types. The left hand side are the better quality and more expensive wires whereas the ones on the right are lesser quality and cheaper wires. Novice farmers often had no idea about the wiring in their farms unless they are well verse in audio equipments or like to play around with stereo or home theater systems.
Sometimes, contractors would simply use the lower right hand type of wire to rig the sound system as this is the cheapest wire. It is the cheapest because it has very little strands of copper in it. It is white in color with a blue line indicating the positive polarity.
The good point is that this wiring is very thin and do not take up much space around the planking and it is very easy to strip away the plastic cover to expose the copper strands to make connections. Actually, it is usable but not really advisable to do so if given a choice.
The upper right hand type which is in red rubber coating is slightly better as its silicone coating provides durable protection to the copper strands which is probably slightly more than the cheap white color wire. The color is red on both lines but one side is darker than the other; so one would need to choose whether to use the darker line or the lighter color line to be the positive line. I choose the darker red line to be the positive line. However, if you use it outdoor, the color will be faded by the sun so that you will not know which is positive and negative anymore. Then you need to trace the line back to the source to check. If you like, you can use a marker pen to mark the positive line. While the silicone cover provides good insulation for the wires, it can be hard to cut the covering away to expose the copper strands to make connections especially if one use a plain scissor to do the job; if you have a stripper, it would be much easier.
The lower left hand is a good quality stereo wire with strong jacket covering and one of the line has a clear blue line indicating it be use for the positive polarity. The many strands of coppers make a thick wiring good for sound transmission. The ray of the sun also will not burn off the blue line indicating positive polarity but the silicone cover tend to become soft when exposed to the sun as when we used it around the open roof area.
The upper left hand blue color wiring with a red line running on one line (which I use to indicate negative polarity) is a very good choice for use in swiftlet farm as it is thick with strands of coppers and the blue jacket is easily cut and strip away to make connections. It is probably slightly more expensive than the stereo wire but a good choice for use in a bird farm.
If you are to build a farm today, I would suggest you use the more expensive wires as the more strands of copper should help to deliver better quality of sound; especially if you plan to operate the farm for not just a few years but decades. I think it is very much a case of false economy to save pittances on wiring unless you ignorantly allow a contractor to cut corners and to make use of the cheap white wires. Another thing to consider is to make use of different color wires for different purpose, such as the blue ones for external sounds and the stereo wires for internal sound so that you can tell them apart at a glance.
This is the most interesting topic that people like to write and read the review. From the review, I ask myself few questions, and this is just my opinion.
The next thing that I plan to do is to add additional layer of mat on the floor. Then I remove the cover on top of the humidifier. With this additional mat, the fine water vapor that manage to come out from the tank would not cause to much wet on the floor.
In various human pursuits such as in the field of economy, politics, philosophy, religion, martial arts, etc; general ideas would eventually break up into becoming different school of thoughts in which emphasis is placed upon certain aspects and practices. So too is the field of swiftlet farming which can generally be divided into two different approaches; the traditional way and the modern way. Actually, there exist a third way in which aspects of the traditional way and the modern way are utilize.
I think the third way is a good idea as we can utilize proven ideas from the traditional approach and then complement it with reliable and useful modern equipments as well as scientific ideas from the modern school of swiftlet farming. Yet there are several different aspects to swiftlet farming that some proponents had came up to claims that certain things are the key to the success of a farm. For example, there are those who champion the swiftlet sounds, while others advocate the use of good planks and the ways and means of installing it, yet others emphasis on the design of a farm.
I think all the major aspects and even minor aspects are very important to ensuring the success of a farm. There is the hardware and software aspects to the setting up of a successful farm; think of it this way, the best computer in the world without good software is useless and vice versa. Generally speaking, there is an art to the integration of the design of the basic infrastructure; the choices of various equipments and the quality of the items as well as the intelligent deployment of these equipments that will ensure the patronage of swiftlets.
As a commander in chief, a general must not be only well verse in a branch of his military organization but must deploy the army, air force, navy and their components such as special forces, spies as well as the all important logistic wisely to ensure that he can win battles. Therefore, to say whether the designs or sounds or some other aspects of swiftlet farming is the most important aspect is just plain wrong. For we must be holistic in our approach and pay attention to all the different aspects so as to ultimately achieve our major objectives; which is to invite swiftlets to first visit, then stay and finally make their precious nests in our farms.
Let me shares with you a real story about my friend's experience of owl attacked at his BH a month ago. His farm located near the Palm Oil plantation. To prevent the owl, he installed a high power electric wire at the base of the entrance hole. I draw a picture below for easy illustration. Do you think his BH is safe from Owl attack?
Love Potion still remain at the top of the list. There are 12 reviews so far for this product. Some people find it very effective and other people find it not useful at all. Base on the reviews, can we say that certain aroma will work at certain area? Or is there any others factors that need to fulfill to make the aroma more effective? You are welcome to give your comments.
But recently, the leaking issue is come back again and it is worst than before. I am thinking of placing the humidifier in the kids pool, but it may now be a long term solution. The plastic may not last long and the birds dropping fell inside the pool may make it very difficult to clean.
Swiftlet farmers having various equipments that provide readings of variable data such as temperature and humidity tend to find that the readings varies and therefore made them doubt the accuracies of the readings which are important to understand the state of a farm in whether its suitable for swiftlets to stay.
Some types of digital hygrostats are also not very accurate as I had also did an experiment in which I placed two of them side by side and found them to give different readings. However, the placement of such meters or the sensors of hygrostats must be correct; we must place them at the plank area at an area that is not directly atop a humidifier which should skew its readings.
As to the generally inaccurate hygrostat, there is an alternative German made mechanical hygrostat that is said to provide accurate result so as to off or on the humidifiers at the right time. Having said that, even not so accurate meters and hygrostats can still be useful to serve as a rough guide to farmers who already own such equipments and is in no mood to replace them.
Last weekend visited my farm. Found there are 5 new nests and a lot of baby birds in the nest. There are total 30 nests now, including those 4 nests that I removed last month but the birds have not start building yet. If next month there is still no nest at these site, I will remove the nest count from my list.
Most swiftlet farms would have iron doors for security and there is often a design of a small “door” that enable a farmer to open or close the lock(s) inside the door so as to make it difficult for thieves to cut it. If the owner simply try to open the inside lock without any precaution; he or she might fumble and let the key fall inside the farm. Unless there is a ready spare key, the unfortunate owner will have to go back to his home or office to get a spare key; if there is no spare key, then there would be very troublesome to solve this problem. And imagine that if the farmer live over a hundred kilometers from his farm, even if he or she has a spare key at home, it would meant a wasted long distance trip.
After I installed the new IR camera, I took a close look on my old camera. I found out that the dirt or dust that make the camera image blur are actually from the inner side of the len. I opened the len and use dry tissue to clean the len surface. The images are much better now although still not as good as when it is new. But is usable.
古蹟區燕屋這次難逃法網？（圖：星洲日報）
（馬六甲）燕子紛飛！甲市長尤索夫占丹週二（9月15日）說，古蹟區內的燕屋肯定要在今年12月31日之前被清空。9月30日之前，古蹟區內和其他地區的燕屋都會陸續受到檢查，其他地區的燕屋如果符合要求，將可允許繼續經營。
10和11月檢查各地燕屋
市長週二召開新聞發佈會澄清，市政廳之前發給燕屋主的信，是要求燕屋主於9月30日之後允許市政廳、野生動物保護局、獸醫局等組成的執法隊伍進屋裡檢查。
“9月30日之後的10月和11月，我們會採取行動，進入甲州各地方的燕屋進行檢查。”
不過，他強調，古蹟區的燕屋是肯定不會再被延遲保留。
明年對古蹟區燕屋發傳票
“其實甲州行政議會已經在去年底作出這項決定。明年1月開始，市政廳將會對古蹟區內的燕屋發出傳票，每次罰款是250令吉。”
如果燕屋主仍然不予理會，市政廳將採取行動將事主提控上法庭。
建議集中養燕地點
他指出，古蹟區內共有24間燕屋，其中2間已經被還原，其他22間有待解決。
這24間燕屋出現在荷蘭街、雞場街、東圭納路、甘榜烏汝、河邊街和祈安律。
“如果在檢查時，有關燕屋被發現有喇叭但沒有燕子，沒有問題。
如果發現沒有喇叭但有燕子，就有問題。”
政府建議集中養燕的地點，是在填海區、烏絨巴西、野新的萬里茂海邊。
另一個受到考慮的地點是瓜拉雙溪峇汝。
燕窩商公會數十會員
指接信限期還原燕屋
甲燕窩商公會週一（9月14日）召開新聞發佈會，聲稱該會數十名會員接獲市政廳建築管制小組誌期9月7日的通知信，指他們濫用建築，限令他們在30天內將燕屋還原為店屋。
與此同時，這些會員也面對養燕執照不獲市政廳更新的問題。
面對上述問題的，除了甲市區的會員之外，野新縣的會員也接獲同樣的信件，及不獲更新執照。
馬六甲成為世界文化遺產一年之後，古蹟區燕屋的問題再次浮上台面。（圖：星洲日報）
（馬六甲）甲州政府雷厲發信，市政廳建築物控制小組以濫用建築物為由，限甲市區與野新縣業主9月內拆除燕屋設施。與此同時也發信給古蹟區內的燕屋屋主，限於今年12月31日之前取消燕屋。
甲州政府也已經停止更新養燕執照。
甲燕窩商公會週日（9月13日）早上召集會員開會，約50人出席會議。主席曾永安在會後受詢時透露，市政廳於半年前曾致函古蹟區業主，需於今年底之前把燕屋還原。
會員無法更新養燕執照
兩週前，他們再次收到市政廳的來信，除了提醒上述限令之外，也通知將於9月30日之後開始檢查行動。
他透露，很多會員也在9月開始，無法更新每3個月一次的養燕執照。
他指出，甲州目前共有大約120張養燕執照，其中約90張在市區。
古蹟區共43間燕屋
根據市政廳的資料顯示，古蹟區內共有43間燕屋，其中只有18間呈上建築圖測。
曾永安表示，這18間燕屋所呈上的圖測，於2006年呈上至今沒有獲得批准。出現燕屋的古蹟區街道包括荷蘭街、雞場街、板底街、吉靈街及河邊街一帶。
曾永安說，該會其實期望政府來管理養燕行業，該會只能提供服務，帶領會員儘量配合做到政府的要求，共同解決問題。
養燕業每年帶來10億外匯
他強調，養燕業給大馬帶來每年10億的收入，對國家經濟極有幫助，他希望政府認真看待該行業的貢獻，並制定恰當的政策。
週日出席會議者包括該會3名副主席宋耀強、李偉光和劉倧良，財政汪枝民和秘書姚智輝。
古蹟區一些燕屋的外貌令人不敢恭維。（圖：星洲日報）
（馬六甲）甲燕窩商公會週日（9月13日）召集會員開會，針對古蹟區燕屋需被還原的限令，達致一項共識，即同意對燕屋進行5項修改，以作為向當局要求在古蹟區繼續養燕業的替代方案。
4業主出席會議
週日共有4名業主出席週日約50人的會議。該會主席曾永安在會後受詢時表示，由於一人擁有數間燕屋，相信以上4人代表了古蹟區內的半數燕屋。該會將繼續聯絡其他未出席週日會議的燕屋主人。
他說，根據市政廳的資料顯示，古蹟區內共有43間燕屋。
他透露，官員說他們不會殺生，官員將採取的手法是讓燕屋打開門窗，拆除播音器材、開亮燈光。
須先保住市區燕屋
曾永安在會上發言時強調，古蹟區的燕屋對整個甲州的養燕業非常重要，是燕子的重要源頭。如果市區的燕屋被消除，他保證其他地區的燕屋也不可能獨存。
所以，他認為一定要先保住市區的燕屋。他希望所有同業同舟共濟，共渡難關，不要再製造更多問題，尤其是聲音的問題。
“政府接獲的所有投訴之中，有99%與聲音有關。其實，聲音可能有助競爭，但沒有聲音也不會太大損失，尤其是如果大家都不開聲音的話，更加不是問題。以前燕子進屋，都不需要這些聲音。”
業主應合作集體行動
他希望燕屋業主不要自欺欺人，以為不出席會議或不加以理睬，政府就不知道燕屋的存在。
“其實政府早就查得很清楚，大家最好快點出來和公會合作，以集體合作的方式，向當局提呈集體行動的保證，才有可能共渡難關。”
他認為，馬六甲古蹟區的燕屋如果淪陷，不只是甲州全體燕屋的災難，也是全國燕屋的一個大缺口，全國燕屋將會逐州出現問題。
