Common maintenance on Taiwan Humidifier 台湾制加湿器一般的维修

If you happen to use Taiwanese chicken coop humidifier in your BH, you may encounter problem on motor not turning in most common break down, the possible root cause due to the capacitor burned off. You could repair it by opening up the top cover and just replace a new 6µF capacitor, costing lesser than RM10, then the problem should be resolved.

If the problem if not caused by the capacitor, most likely the motor has burned off, you can send the motor for rewinding or replace the whole unit of humidifier whichever cost is lower.

如果你的燕屋是使用台湾制类型加湿器，最常见的你可能会遇到马达不转动的问题，一般起原是由于电容器烧掉。你可以更换一个新的6μF电容器于十令吉以下，那么问题应该就解决掉了，加湿器应该可以操作了。

如果不是由电容引起的问题，很可能是马达烧坏了，你可以把马达送去电机店重扎铜线，如果费用太高或考虑更换新的加湿器。

Another technique to boost population of BH 增加燕屋燕群另一种技术

Many of us know that Styrofoam or plastic fake nest will make convenience for the young bird to build their first nest, this technique has been developed and widely used in swiftlet farming since 4~5years ago. By installing number of those fake nests will statistically increase the chance for those young birds eventually settle down in your BH.

The technique I applied to my BH in the old day for such purpose before fake nest widely used is that, I make use of those corner planks, installing them on the long plank to increase ‘easy nest built point’, I found this technique is quite effective for new BH as well as old BH in populating tenants in our BH. Although the nest you get from that will be a triangle nest (Grade C) or round corner nest (Grade B), it will be a least harvesting a completed nest, and I think it may be better than fake nest as Styrofoam will contaminate the nest (Grade D) and not recyclable, with plastic fake nest you will get broken nest (Grade E).
This is just sharing of my own developed technique for my blog readers to have an alternative option, which one to be used is up to individual decision. Understand the swiftlet behavior well, you could know what will be good to your BH with your own creativity and innovation.

我们很多人都知道Styrofoam 或塑胶假窝会可以方便年轻的燕子造窝，这项技术4〜5年以前已被开发和如今广泛使用。通过安装这些假窝将增加留鸟的造窝的机会，最终定居在我们的燕屋。

在假窝技术广泛应用之前我是用另一个方法，我使用那些燕角板安装在长板中，以增加易造窝点'，我发现这种方法对新的燕屋是很有效的，就算是旧燕屋我也用此技术来增加燕群。虽然燕子在那里造的窝将会是一个三角燕窝（C级）或圆角燕窝（B级），但也属于一颗完整的窝，我觉得它可能比用假窝更好，因会Styrofoam会粘住燕窝（D级），而且不能重复回用，用塑料假窝造的燕窝会是破燕窝（E级）。
这纯粹只是和我的读者分享我自己开发的技术让我的读者多一种选择，哪一个技术最适合你的燕屋是个人的决定。了解燕子行为再利用自己的创造力和创新，你会知道做什么会对你燕屋有益的。

Aroma Magic 燕香气魔法

About 10 years ago when I jumped into swiftlet farming, there was no such aroma technique in swiftlet farming, aroma only started appearing in the market about two-three years ago. How we did in the old day is to apply bird’s dropping to the new BH, and later we also applied ammonia to enhance the effect and life span. The objective is to create a swiftlet living environment with the smell it supposed to have for birds feel comfortable to stay, this is referred as environmental aroma. Yet this method is still my standard practice for new BH, I believe for many swiftlet farmer as well. As this has been proven effective over years validation.

But lately there is another type of aroma, which more referred as plank aroma, which can apply directly to the nesting plank, and claims it would make birds stay and mate. In fact what I did for plank aroma with the natural way in the old day is to blend those broken nest and applied to the plank. Nowadays more and more brand being launched to the market commercially from many swiftlet farming master, but the effectiveness still questionable without solid proof. As a swiftlet farmer with my technical background, effectiveness as claimed should always be validated. I have actually tested a few famous bands of aroma in my BH, the outcome is that populated corner still grow steady, unoccupied corner still empty after few months, there is no significant difference. And a lot of newbie friends told me that they applied those famous aromas in their sick BH, but after few months still nothing happened.

At this moment, I can only conclude that if your BH is fulfilling those primary criteria, i.e. good location, right design, good sound, right microhabitat and good management, without secondary factor like aroma it can also succeed, otherwise aroma itself will NEVER MAKE MAGIC to your fail BH. Always remember the priority, get the primary factors right first before the secondary. Whether aroma will boost in populating those old farm, yet it still need more experiments and data to validate.

大约十年前，当我进入养燕时，并没有燕香气这东西，它是在两三年前才在市场上出现。当时我们都只是将鸟粪放到新的燕屋，后来我们也利用氨(ammonia)来加强和加长鸟粪效果。目地是要建立一个燕子生活环境该有的味道，让燕子感觉自然和舒适而居住下来。这种方法至今仍然是我对新燕屋一贯的做法，我相信许多燕农也是如此，因为这做法已采用多年且证实是有效的。

但最近世面上有另一种燕香气，是燕板用的燕香气，可以向燕板直接喷洒，它声称可以留鸟和促使燕子交配。其实多年前我对燕板做法是把碎的燕窝用绞碎机打溶掉，然后喷洒燕板。现在越来越多的燕香气在向市场推出，但其效果仍然都没有真正被验证。因为我拥用技术背景的关系，产品效果印证是必要的，其实我之前已经在我的燕屋对世面上著名的几种燕香气做了测试，其结果是燕群角落仍然继续稳定增长，没燕窝角落几个月后仍然空置的，没有显着差异。和很多的新手朋友告诉我，他们在失败燕屋使用那些著名的燕香气，但经过数个月仍然任何没有动静。

目前我只能做此结论，如果你的燕屋是根据主要的基本元素，即良好的地点，正确的设计，好的声音，拥有标准燕子生态环境和良好的管理，即使没有次要元素即燕香味也可以很成功，否则燕香气不会对失败的燕屋有任何奇迹的魔法。一定要记住次序，把主要的元素搞好才轮到次要的。燕香气是否会促进燕农场的燕群成长，仍然需要更多的实验和数据来验证。

Way to distinguish real stainless steel harvesting scraper 区分真正不锈钢铲刮刀的办法

left one is a fake stainless steel scraper commonly found in market,

right one is my own made stainless steel scraper

左边的是市场常见的假不锈钢铲刮刀，
右边的是我自己做的不锈钢铲刮刀

As a swiftlet farmer, harvesting scraper is a must tool, but some of us may be getting headache on rusty problem even labeling claims Stainless Steel. We might use scraper as mirror during harvesting, but it will lose mirroring function once rusted. In fact a lot of scrapers found in hardware shop are not real stainless steel, but chrome/nickel plated Mild Steel, it looks shinny like stainless steel but will get rusty very fast after use.

The best way to distinguish real stainless steel is using a magnet to attract. A real stainless steel (SUS304 common grade in the market), it will not be attracted by magnet, but chrome plated mild steel will. You can use magnetic tip screwdriver if you can’t find a magnet to do the test when you are selecting your scraper in hardware shop.

收割铲刮刀是燕农必须的工具，但我们常因为铲刮刀生锈的问题烦恼，就算标签声称是不锈钢的但还是生锈。因为我们会用铲刮刀照鸟蛋，一旦生锈就失去镜像功能。实际上在五金店卖的铲刮刀很多都不是真正的不锈钢，是铬或镍电镀的，它看起来光亮如不锈钢，但使用后很快会生锈。

区分真正的不锈钢最好的方法来是利用磁铁粘吸。一个真正的不锈钢（SUS304市场上常见的等级），它是不会被磁铁所吸住，但只是铬或镍电镀的普通铁制的却会。如果你在五金商店挑选铲刮刀时没有磁铁，你可以用一种磁性头的螺丝刀来试。

雪燕窝商公会要求‧养燕临时执照延长至1年

雪隆 2010-12-23 11:29
（雪兰莪‧適耕庄22日讯）雪兰莪燕窝商公会財政拿督郭洪究今日要求雪州政府，將发放临时执照给养燕业者的期限从半年延期到一年。

他是针对雪州行政议员刘天球说，地方政府会在明年1月起的6个月內，发放临时执照给养燕业者。

州政府可与中央协调擬指南

郭洪究指出，既然中央政府还未发出明確的养燕指南，那么州政府可以利用这一年的期限与中央政府进行协调，以共同的擬定指南。

应划一收费此外，他也促请州政府在发出临时执照给养燕业者的收费要划一，不要出现有些高有些低的情况。

“以目前看来，沙白县议会徵收的养燕业临时执照最高，每年720令吉，其他县议会所徵收的费用，有些是550令吉或200令吉。”

刘天球昨日促请还没有註册的养燕业者迅速申请临时执照，州政府將从明年1月起，发放临时执照给养燕业者，惟业者必须遵守基本的条例，所谓的条例包括不能在市区的店屋养燕，若要利用店屋养燕，就必须在郊区。此外，燕屋不能设有住宅区，应建在农业地。

星洲日报／大都会‧2010.12.22

选择燕屋洞口位置的重要性 Importance of locating the entrance hole

于巴生一间属于我朋友的同学的燕屋，四层高，位于位于巴生养燕热区。燕主是在参考了几本养燕书后自己设计他的燕屋，他在三年前开始启动他的燕屋，一年后还没有看到第一个窝，他就找了一个当地有名的顾问，那个顾问帮他安装二十个假燕窝，然后收了他五千元。又经过一年也没有任何进展，他就完全放弃了，因为他已经尝尽了一切他可以做的，他把声音关掉让它搁置在那里。直到他几个月前他和我的朋友见面提起，然后我的朋友邀请我去看看他燕屋的问题。

我一踏进他的燕屋第一件事我就去漫游室看看，墙壁只有很少鸟粪痕迹，这意味着燕子不爱进来，我能看到他的洞口对面建筑物的墙壁，我立即找到了问题的所在。他的后墙的洞口，但后墙隔一条狭窄的小巷有一排也是四层的建筑屋，洞口的飞行路径受阻。我问他为什么选择了在那里做入口，他回答说，他利用现有的窗口，以尽量减少敲洞。

切记，燕屋设计是根据燕子的习性，并不要为了我们自己的方便。之后我劝他把洞口和漫游室改到另一道侧墙，那边没有障碍阻挡。

This BH located in Klang belongs to my friend’s schoolmate, a four storey building located at hot swiftlet farming area in Klang. The owner designed this BH himself after reading few swiftlet farming books, he started his BH 3 years ago, after 1 year he didn’t get any single nest, and he engaged a local famous consultant to revamp, what that consultant did is installed about 20 fake nests and collected RM5K from him. After another year without any progress, he totally gave up as he already tried everything he could, then he shutdown the sound and let his BH hanging there. Until he met his schoolmate few months ago, I was invited to inspect his sick BH by my friend.

First thing I stepped on his BH I find the roving room and inspect the entrance hole, very little dropping mark on wall of roving room, which means birds were difficult to fly in, I could see the opposite building wall closely from his entrance hole, immediately I found the root cause. He used back window as entrance hole, across the narrow backstreet there is a row of 4 storey building, where the entering flying path was problematic. I asked him why he chose the entrance hole there, and he answered he make use of existing window to minimize wall hacking.

Bear in mind that never make design base on our own convenience but those birds. I advise him to move the entrance hole to the side wall by hacking another one where without obstacle and relocate his roving room as well.

于后墙壁的洞口
Entrance hole on back wall

漫游室墙壁只有很少鸟粪痕迹

very few bird dropping mark on roving wall

燕屋声音远程监控器 Gadget to monitor BH sound remotely

我们都知道对新的燕屋，内外声操作是对吸引新的燕子住下最重要的。我曾在几年前有这样的一个经历。新的燕屋是位于离我三个小时的车程距离的地方，我会做每月的定期检查，第一月的检查已经有大约十堆粪，当做第二检查我会期望看到更多，当我到铁门口时，我没有听到内声发出来，我知道都太迟了。我一进入检查，所有的鸟粪都干涸掉了。原因内声的播放机卡住了。

我浪费了两个月，再从零重新开始，那个时候起，我会用仪器来监视远程燕屋操作，这个简单的小工具是一个可以考虑的选项，叫做GSM声音发射器，成本比不超过150令吉，它需要以使用一张SIM卡，你可以考虑用预付SIM卡,把那监控器放到燕屋里， 当你播电到那张SIM卡号码，你会听到燕屋现场播得声音。当你的燕屋成长到一定阶段，可以把它转移到其他新燕屋或终止它，它对燕屋管理者是很有帮助的。

As we all know for a new BH, sound is extremely important in attracting new young bird to stay. I had got a bad experience on this in years ago. A new setup BH is located outstation with 3 hrs driving distance, I did monthly regular inspection, 1st inspection after one month from launching there were already about 10 bird shit spots and found birds inside when we entered, and 2nd inspection I would expect to see more, when I stepped in front of iron door, I didn’t hear internal sound working, I am sure all tenants already gone then I entered and checked, all those dropping had dried out. The rootcause was the amp player hang up.

I wasted 2 months and restarted from zero, from that time onward, I would use gadget to monitor working of sound remotely, this simple gadget is one of the economical options, called ‘GSM voice transmitter’ which cost not more than RM150, and it needs to work with a SIM card, you may consider a prepaid SIM card at very minor cost. Gadget should be located inside your BH, you can listen to your live sound playing when you dial into that dedicated SIM number. Once your BH populated, it can be moved to other new BH or discontinue it. It could be very helpful for BH caretaker.

视觉记录 Visual Recording

我打理好几间新旧燕屋，一些是自己一些是合伙的，我对管理工作的一部分就是记录数据以监测燕屋的成长健康性。或者是在修改或升级燕屋的情况下，我们怎么知道是否理想？有些人可能会数燕窝数目或鸟粪堆的数目，但对于那些已有不少窝的旧燕屋可能不太实用，因为这很耗时。其中一个方法是记录燕窝收割的重量。此外，我也习惯用照像拍摄来作记录尤其是燕群角落，这可以是一个对燕屋管理很好的记录和日后参考。

I am taking care of quite a few BHs both new and old, some own and some JV, part of management job for me is recording data to monitor the growth. Or in the event of revamping or upgrading of BH, how do we know whether we have done a good job? Some may count the nest numbers or bird dropping spot, but for those old BH with lot of nest might not be practical as it will take long. One of the ways is taking weight of nest harvested. Besides, I am used to practice visual recording such as photo shoot especially on populated corner, which could be a good recording and reference for your management.

保护你的湿度控制器 Protection for Humidity Controller

如果你的燕屋是使用湿度控制器来控制加湿器的，我会建议你加一个Relay或Contactor来保护您的湿度控制器设备，并延长其寿命。

在市场上有几个不同湿度控制器款式，但其中大多数电路装置都是直接连接到您的加湿器。因为控制器本身不能够携带高电流（最大值〜2A）来供应单个或多个加湿器除非是用Relay或Contactor来携带高电流，就算发生断路也将被隔离，不会伤害到你的控制器。

如果你对电路图不太熟悉，你可以把电路图给承包商去做。这将是很小的花费。你可以给我发电子邮件，如果你有疑问或你的加湿系统配置比较复杂。

If you happen to use humidity controller associated with your humidifiers in your bird farm, I would advise to add a Relay or Contactor to protect your device and also prolong its life span.

There are few different models of humidity controller available in the market, but most of them are made in direct circuit connection to your humidifier device. The controller itself is not able to carry high current(max ~2A) consumed by your single or more humidifier motors unless a Relay or Contactor is used to carry higher current, in case of short circuit it will isolate from reaching your controller device.

If you are not familiar with electrical, you may give the circuit drawing to your contractor to do it. a contact Relay will cost you very minor. you can drop me an email if you have doubt or complicated configuration of your humidity system.

狗洞式入口常犯的错误 Common mistake on Dog Kennel Entry

多拜访成功燕农场和失败的燕农场是累积经验的方法之一，我们能够发现理想和不理想燕屋之间的关键区别。有时我们可能因为某种原因而选择狗洞式入口，比如受附近燕屋的影响，或现成建筑物结构的限制，或合法性的考虑等等。我拜访过不少燕农场，我发现了一个狗洞式入口常犯的错误。

One of the ways to gain knowledge and experience in swiftlet farming is to visit lot of successful farms and fail farms, we could realize the key difference between good and bad. Sometime we may need to adopt dog kennel entrance for some reason such as influence of neighboring BH, or existing building structure limitation, or legality consideration etc. From numerous of farm I have visited, I found a common mistake on dog kennel entrance.

狗洞是改装阁楼而成，太窄，洞口太高，飞行路径坡度太大，新鸟很难进入
DK converted from exiting loft, too narrow and hole too high, slope of flying path too much, difficult for young bird to enter

类似的问题，洞底的横板，用以减少阳光进入，但使得飞行路径更差
Similar problem, horizontal plate at bottom of hole to reduce sunlight from coming in but made flying path worse

一个好的狗洞设计摄于一间已有好几千窝的成功农场，看看鸟粪在侧壁留下的迹象。在洞的底部也是一个不错的安全设备。
A good DK design on a successful farm with thousands of nest, look at the sign of bird dropping on side wall. Also a good idea of security device at bottom of hole.

近来完成的狗洞式新燕屋工程。
A recently completed Dog Kennel design BH project

最近完成的燕屋改造工程 Recently Completed Project

我近来的燕屋工程之一，改造3层店屋的第二层，顺利的在两周内完成，选择使用屋顶天井入口，并采用两套内声制造立体声模拟效果。，而且使用4个外声以时间控制来转播。

This is one of my recent projects, converted 2nd floor of 3 storey shoplot, managed to complete in 2 weeks, selected open rooftop entry, and adopting two sets internal sound played by one Amp. for creating stereo effect, played 4 external sounds with scheduled rotating.

屋顶入口 Rooftop Opening

开声 Launching

好燕声

对好燕声的基本标准是清晰度，少噪音，燕声内容，重复性等等.当我的新燕声库达到一定数目，我会先听过，然后根据那些基本标准做预通过选择，之后我通常会再做临床燕声测试以进行验证其效果和燕声等级分类。一个好的燕叫声会吸引很多燕子亲吻播燕声的喇叭

有人可能这么认为，一个好燕叫声在某些地区表现非常有效，但它其他地区切没有同样的效果，为什么同样的声音可以在不同地区有不同的效果？我们知道，燕子会对新的声音在1〜2周后慢慢减少感兴，当然我有我自己的解决秘方以保持燕声的吸引效果。因此，如果你的燕声在某一地方其他燕屋已被用上一段时期，它通常不能发挥它之前的好效果。其他因素如时间，天气也会影响燕声测试成绩。一般上我在养燕热区选用的燕声，我会先做附近燕屋燕声调查,确定我用的燕声没在附近被其他燕屋使用过，以确保它能发挥最好的效果。

这是临时竖起的测试燕声集燕塔，并不是在燕屋上

Good Sound

Basic criteria for the good sound are clarity, minimum noise, content, repeatability….. when my new sound library reach certain number, I will pre-listen through them and select for good sound base on those criteria, then I would usually perform sound test for validation and classification before launching in BH. A good sound will attract lot of birds to kiss tweeter

Someone may claimed that which good sound worked very well in certain area but it isn’t that effective in other area, why same sound could have different effectiveness in different area? We know that swiftlet will get bored with the new sound after 1~2 weeks, effectiveness will be getting lesser and lesser, I do have my own solution to keep the effectiveness of sound attraction. so if your sound has been used in that area for some time by another BH, and you play it in the same area it probably will not perform with good effectiveness during your sound test. Other factor like timing, and weather will be affecting outcome of your test. If I would want to select sound for new BH in hot swiftlet farming zone, I will do a round of neighbourhood sound survey and ensure that select those good sounds that I selected are not being used by other neighbour BH, it will perform the best in the launching.

黄金地点

我们有些人总是认为，哪一个因素是对于新燕屋成功的最关键？有些人可能会说是声音，设计或燕屋条件，甚至运气，但我个人认为'地点'是其中最关键的因素若所有其余因素都没有太差。有些人甚至把它认为是'风水'。

如果你可以选择你的燕屋所在地点，你可以把它掌控得很好，那你的新燕屋已向成功迈进一大步了，当然这点不是那么简单的。其中包括燕群的分部，飞行路径，食物来源，环境等，若要选择一个新燕屋的黄金位置，不少的资料研究，观察和验证是需要做。

我看过其中少数的例子，燕屋处在非常好的地点，一年后可以很轻易地达到150窝以上即使只是使用一般质量的外声，而且没有任何aroma。

Prime Location

Some of us always argue that which factor is the most critical for the success of new bird house? Some people may say Sound, Design or Micro, even Luck, but I personally consider ‘Location’ is the most critical among all provided the rest of factors are not wrong. Some people may term it as ‘Feng Shui’.


If you are given a choice to choose where your bird house is and you can catch it well, that is not far for your new BH to succeed, of course that is not easy. Location consist of bird population, flying path, source of food, environment etc. In order to choose a golden location, a lot of study, observation and validation need to be done.


I have seen small number of newly setup bird house at very good location, after one year can easily hit more than 150nests even using only normal quality external sound without any aroma aided.