Inter Floor Hole 楼层间地板洞

BH with two storey and above, for most of BH design, inter floor hole is made to be the common access between floors for birds to get into another floor nesting area, which is similar to the function of staircase for human. Improper creation of inter floor hole will likely result in imbalance of population growth in different floors or totally failure.

The most critical criteria for the inter floor hole design are the size and location, which also the common questions asked by many. For the new construct BH, I would normally go for my favorite optimum size 5ft x 10ft. I found this size is nice for birds to access smoothly, and minimum size should not smaller than 4ft x 8ft.

Where should we locate the inter floor hole? Some people prefer to create it inside roving room, and some people like to locate it at nesting area. For me the criteria on where the inter floor hole to be located, it must be underneath the flying path to ensure those visitors will find it easily and will not feel scary to enter. In fact roving room is the hub of the flying paths. Good design of inter floor hole is essential for the healthy growth of population.

两层或以上的燕屋，楼层之间的洞口是常见的燕屋设计一部分，给于燕子进入另一层筑窝区的通口，其作用类似人类使用的阶梯。不正确的楼层间洞设计会导致燕群增长在不同楼层不平均或完全失败。

楼层间洞设计中最重要的标准是其大小和位置，这也是常被问的问题。对于重新的建设燕屋，我通常根据我常用的最佳规模尺寸5英尺x 10英尺，我发现这个大小是燕子飞入较好的尺寸，而最小尺寸应不小于4英尺x 8英尺

此外该如何定位楼层间洞？有些人喜欢在把它开在漫游室内，也有的人喜欢把它开在筑窝区。而我自己对定位楼层间洞的标准是，它必须是在飞行路径的下面，以确保那些燕子访客很容易发觉它并且进入不会感到担忧。其实漫游室也是飞行路径的中心。好的楼层间洞设计对日后燕群成长是关键的。

Inter floor hole located after roving room is one of the options as on the flying path too

楼层间地板洞设在漫游室之后是选择之一，那也是在飞行路径上

Bottom View 底视图

Car Park Swiftlet Farm 停车场燕农场

A rare swiftlet farm converted from a hotel car park with side window entrance.

一间罕见的燕农场，由一个酒店的停车场改造而成，用侧窗口入口。

Height Strategy 燕屋高度策略

Does the height of BH matter? I was asked for advice by a reader, who started his BH more than 1 year ago in a prime zone of swiftlet farming, but yet it is not performing very well. His BH is 2 storey shop lot and other successful BHs are 3 storey.

BH with 2 storey height is not an issue actually as long as entrance is clear from obstacles. For 2 storey BHs regardless of standalone or shop converted, entrance design is recommended to use either open roof or dog kennel rather than window entrance due to lower height.

When the 2 storey BH is located in the swiftlet farming prime area and neighboring BHs are mostly 3storey, unless you are the pioneer, otherwise the height of your BH is really a disadvantage in the competition. Swiftlets behave to fly high than low, late comer with lower height is more difficult to attract young bird from higher BH to visit as your entrance hole is deviating from the fly path. I observed that many BH with similar scenario did not get good result. In such a case you may need an effective pooling system to attract more bird to visits.

On the other hand, higher is not always better, too high could also induce problem of strong air flow and humidity/temp fluctuation. Find out the optimum height before you start constructing your BH, which will be actually helping in success and steady growth.

燕屋高度是否成问题？有读者问我的意见的，他的燕屋在一个养燕热区操作已超过一年，但至今表现却不是很好，他的燕屋是两层店屋，其他附近的成功燕屋是有三层的。

其实两层楼高度燕屋实际上并不是问题只要入口没障碍的问题。无论独立式或店屋改装两层燕屋，建议使用天井或狗洞入口设计由于其较低的高度。

如果你的燕屋是两层楼而附近燕屋大多是三层楼燕屋，除非你是先来者，否则你的燕屋高度在竞争中会处于劣势。金丝燕子飞行习惯为偏高飞行，后来者低身燕屋会比较难吸引高身燕屋的燕子因为飞行路线偏差。我观察到许多类似情况的燕屋都没有得到好的成绩。这种情况可能需要一个很有效的集燕装置以吸引更多的燕子访问。

另一方面，较高的燕屋并不总是较好的，过高也可能导致燕屋强烈气流和温湿度大波动的问题。找出燕屋最佳高度然后才开始设计你的燕屋，这将会帮助燕屋的成功和稳健成长。

BH with different height in the same row

一排不同高度的燕屋
(photo taken in some other place)

诺奥马：避免无法更新燕屋执照‧养燕须向兽医局登记

国內 2011-01-19 18:30

一名官员展示国家养燕业发展指南。(图：星洲日报）
（布城19日讯）农业及农基工业部长拿督斯里诺奥马表示，国內大约5万名养燕业者必须在3年內，向兽医局登记，否则他们將无法向地方政府更新燕屋执照。

“养燕业者如果没向兽医局注册，他们在出口燕窝时也將面对问题，为此希望现有的养燕业者一定要向兽医局注册。”

他说，因此，新的养燕业者则必须在投入操作之前，向兽医局登记才能操作。

诺奥玛是移交国家养燕业发展指南给各政府机构和业者后，在新闻发佈会上指出，大马的养燕业的市场价值，一年高达13亿令吉，政府预测到2020年，养燕业的价值將高达50亿令吉。

游客限买一公斤燕窝

诺奥马也指出，在养燕指南下政府將规定，到大马旅游的游客只能购买最多一公斤的燕窝，如果超过一公斤则必须向兽医局申请准证。

他也指出，该部將要推出的养燕指南將让业者在如何建造燕屋、处理燕窝、如何进出口燕窝等事项上有一个依据。

星洲日报‧2011.01.19

First 3 months 首三个月

A new BH with proper condition and design, young swiftlets will normally take 3~5months to adapt their new home before they decide to settle down in their new house. When will those swiftlets start to stay in? This question I often asked by newbie, actually the answer is very wide range, assuming the BH is well in all criteria, the 1st tenant could be staying in within 1st day or 1st month, but normally a new proper made BH should have new tenants within 1~2weeks in most common cases, but number of tenants will depend on the location and techniques. Nevertheless I observed that even though new tenants are staying in your new BH, they may not come home every night, and they may not stay at the same spot as well, as they would explore their new home and find out the best spot for nesting, that’s why some time we see bird dripping spots are moving here and there in new BH until they build their 1st nest.

The fist 3months is critical, that is the reason some consultants do not allow their client to enter new BH for the first 3 months, and some even hold the key of iron door for 3months. I personally do not advise such a practice but suggest to make the owner understand of it, minimize the number of entering if unnecessary perhaps once a month for basic inspection and maintenance.

These are some photos taken at one of my JV BHs at north after 3.5months operation.

一个拥有适当条件和正确设计新的燕屋，一般年轻的燕子需要3〜5个月来适应它们的新家，才决定在他们的新房子定居下来。但这些燕子通常多久才开始住进新的燕屋呢？这个问题我经常都会被问的，其实答案是有很宽的范围，假设新燕屋的所有条件都正确，它的第一住客可以是在1天之内或1个月时间，但通常一个拥有正确条件的新燕屋吸引燕子在1〜2周中住进是最常见的情况，但燕子住客的数目将取决于燕屋位置和你的技术。不过我观察到，即使新燕子住客住在新的燕屋，他们可能不会每天晚上都回家，他们也可能不会每晚在同一个点，因为他们会逐渐探索他们的新家，并找出筑窝的最佳地点，这就是为什么有些时候，我们看到新的燕屋的新鸟粪点会改动，直到他们建立第一窝。

首3个月对新的燕屋是很关键的，一些燕屋顾问不允许他们的客户在首3个月内进入燕屋，有的甚至在三个月后才移交铁门钥匙给燕屋主。我个人不太建议这种做法，但应该使业主了解其原因，尽量减少不必要的打扰，如果没额外的必要每月只需安排一次进入燕屋定期检查和维修。

一间在北部合资的新燕屋，开声三个月半后拍摄的照片

Standalone BH more difficult to succeed than town BH? 独立式燕屋比市镇燕屋更难成功？

I am often asked the same question, is standalone BH especially on the plantation or remote location more difficult to succeed than BH operated in town? There are actually many reasons, but I think the key factor that most potentially leading to the failure on standalone BH is the shortage of source of young swiftlets. We know that a new BH will need to depend on other BH from their new generated young swiftlet to migrate. BHs in town are normally very close to each other, and source of young swiftlet seldom be shortage but other factors like design, sound, BH condition, strategy and others play more critical role for success.

Some owners build their standalone BH on their land just because their own peice of land, building BH on it just wanted to further utilize it without considering the suitability. I will advise who intend to build their standalone BH better to do site survey like bird call test, flying path observation, food source etc, those evaluation can actually help us to understand risk better before proceeding further. Source shortage may not lead to failure totally but slow growth even with good design and proper in others especially in the initial stage, if you will want to go ahead make sure your patience is prepared for it. Failure on standalone BH you would lose everything including the building cost unlike town BH, but it’s got other advantage ie. less competition, licensing entitlement, complaint free.

我常常被问同样的问题，独立式燕屋尤其是在园地里或远程位置是否比镇燕屋更难成功？其实有很多原因，但我认为最关键的因素导致独立式燕屋失败的原因是年轻燕子来源短缺的问题。我们知道，一个新的燕屋将需要依赖其他燕屋生产的年轻燕子到来定居。市镇的燕屋通常都互相非常接近，燕子来源短缺问题较少，但其它因素像燕屋设计，燕声和战略等其他因素变成燕屋成功较大的关键因素。

有些业主在他的土地上建立自己独立式燕屋只因为是他们自己的土地，建立燕屋只是想充分利用他的土地而没考虑它是否适合。我会建议任何人如果打算建立自己的独立式燕屋最好做到当地燕声测试调查，观察燕群飞行路径，食物来源等等，这些估计其实可以帮助我们更了解其风险，然后再作下一步决定。燕子来源短缺可能不会导致完全失败，但燕群增长缓慢尤其是在初始阶段，即使有良好的设计和其他良好的条件，如果你还是要继续进行建立燕屋，确保你有耐心的心理准备。独立式燕屋失败你将损失一切包括建立燕屋的成本，其不同于市镇燕屋，但它也有它其他优点如竞争少，合法性，没投诉烦恼。

Raw Bird Nest 燕窝原料

Price of raw nest in Malaysia here is fluctuating, which actually depends on the demand of biggest market China, local agents are commonly categorizing those nests into few major grades then offer different price based on its standard grade.

Grade A – Full Bowl Cup nest
Grade B – 135deg nest, or Round corner nest, or Manji
Grade C – 90deg nest, or Triangle nest
Grade D – Thick and contaminated nest
Grade E – Broken and loose nest

Some agents are offering price in lump sum basing on the percentage of each grade.
Just got update on latest raw nest price, due to weakening on the demand, price has dropped about 10% from last month. I will keep updating the latest raw nest price on the left-top corner for bench marking. If you get any latest update or better offer, your inputs for sharing are welcome.

马来西亚的燕窝原料价格波动取决于最大的燕窝消耗市场中国，多数本地燕窝收购代理将燕窝分类成几个主要等级然后依其等级提供不同价格。

A级 – 盏燕
B级 – 135度盏，或圆角盏，或Manji，或大三角盏
C级 – 90度盏，或三角燕
D级 – 九层糕或沾污的燕窝
E级 – 碎燕或燕条

一些买家有时会收购总货，但也是根据每个等级的多少比例来打价格的。
刚刚得到的最新燕窝原料价格，由于需求已减弱，价格从上月至今下降了10％。我会在左上角经常更新最新燕窝原料价格。如果你收到任何最新或更好的价格，欢迎你提供资料和大家分享。

Open Roof Design 天井式入口设计

There are two typical types of open roof entrance design. The first type is most common, entrance hole facing open roof, where the open roof size is normally bigger. Birds can see the entrance hole when they are flying above the open roof. Due to the big size of open roof, after entrance hole normally will be a roving room or partition to block the light, thus this type will occupy larger space for open roof space and roving room, but for new BH in this type based on my observation, swiftlet feel more comfortable and confident to enter .

The second type is very similar to the side window entry, the open roof size is usually small and made to be the first entrance hole, second entrance hole will not facing roof opening directly, so open roof area becomes the roving room. After the second entrance may not need another roving room as the entrance is not facing open roof, most sunlight has been blocked. Thus this type should occupy lesser space. In the beginning swiftlets may take longer time to be familiarized to your entrance. Once tenanted up to certain number, due to small size of open roof, tenants will need to queue for entering, those birds wandering above the roof top could actually help in attracting more young birds coming near to your BH. I would suggest to use this type if your BH located at highly populated swiftlet farming zone or if your BH nesting area is limited.

Both types could succeed, but both also have their pros and cons, which type suit your BH most depends on how much preparation you have done.

有两种较典型的天井式入口设计。第一类是最常见的，洞向着屋顶开口，这种的屋顶开口通常较大。燕子在屋顶上飞行时可以看到洞入口时。由于屋顶开口大且面对洞入口，通常会再用一个漫游室或分隔板阻挡光线，因此这一类型天井及漫游室将占据较大空间，但据我的观察燕子，这类型入口对新燕屋而言燕子会较敢且快进入。

第二类型是和旁洞式入口非常相似，屋顶开口通常很小，变成第一个洞入口，而第二个洞口一般不会面对屋顶开口，因此天井空间变成漫游室。第二个洞口后面通常就不需要漫游室了，因为洞入口没有面对屋顶开口，大部分阳光已被挡掉。因此，这种类型设计占有较小的空间，但燕子可能需要较长时间来熟悉你的燕屋入口,可是一旦到达一定数量后，由于屋顶开口小，燕子需要排队进洞，造成燕子在屋顶上面徘徊，会有助于吸引更多年轻的燕子访问你的燕屋。我觉得这类型设计较适合在燕子稠密区或者是你的燕屋地方有限。

这两种类型的燕屋都可以成功，但两者也都各有利弊，哪种最适合你的燕屋取决于你做了多少准备功夫。

Entrance hole facing open roof type
洞口面对屋顶开口型

Entrance hole not facing open roof type, open roof size is smaller
洞口不面对屋顶开口型，屋顶开口较小

Automation 自动化系统

I personally like to automate many activities in my BH, which will actually help to reduce the workforce in BH maintenance and management, consistency and stability will definately help in populating your BH as well. Nowadays many industries have implemented more automation due to labour cost is getting higher, I will advise all swiftlet farmers to think toward this direction as well, making use of our latest technology into swiftlet farming, and also continue develop more, which will be beneficial to swiftlet farming industry.

Automation = Low labour, low maintenance, minimum error, high efficiency, high accuracy, stability, consistency etc.

In fact we have been using automation for some applications in our BH, but some of us may not be aware of, such as Daily timer to switch ON/OFF Amp player, Humidity control with the auto controller devices, Temperature control with temp controller associated with fan exhaust or water cooling, Security alarming system, Timer for water rinsing and so on. Automation with IT-powered will be more powerful, like remote internet CCTV, alarming notification, remote sound monitoring (with remote voice transmitter in previous post), and so on.

There is a gadget in the market called ‘Auto Sound Changer’, I am the inventor of this gadget actually, but now a copycat has duplicated and selling in the market. That is expected and not to my surprise. I have actually phase out this thing long ago as there is a bug, but substituted with another technique with more powerful function also in much lower cost and the most important bug free. Forgive me for not posting the technical detail because there are too many copycats in the market taking advantage from other people’s efforts.

Many other things that we’ve never thought but we can actually turn into automation, eg. counter to count your bird visit of BH per day, predator detection & reaction, Auto floor cleaning and many more, perhaps auto nest counting and harvesting? I think all these can be done, but bear in mind always, all these equipments are the cost, it should meet our objective and actual need, also cost justification. If you have good idea but not sure how to convert into actual workable automation system, you can contact me for Teh Tarik bird talk.

我个人喜欢在我的燕屋使用自动化系统，因为这将有助于减少维持和管理燕屋的劳动力，且其稳定性一定会帮助你的燕屋成长。现在很多行业已经实施了更多的自动化，由于劳动力成本越来越高，我会建议燕农向这个方向驶进，从其他领域技术开发成燕屋技术，开发和开拓技术有利于日后引燕业的发展。

自动化=低劳动力，维护成本低，误差小，效率高，精度高，稳定性，一致性等等

事实上，我们一直在都有在我们的燕屋采用某些自动化系统，但我们有些人可能不察觉，比如每天定时开/关播放唱机，湿度控制与自动控制器设备，温度控制器配合冷水风扇和排气系统，安全报警系统，计时冲水洗涤系统等等。如果再配合IT自动化将更加强，例如远程监视互联网闭路电视，自动报警通知，远程声音监控（之前的文章远程声音监控器）等等。

在市面上有一个工具叫的'Auto Sound Changer'(自动换音器)，其实我就是真正的发明者，但现在已被无良商家复制且在市场上销售。这是我预料之中，其实我早已经淘汰这东西因为有技术上的漏洞，而我已有其他更强技术产品来代替，不但成本更低得多的，最重要的是零漏洞。原谅我没有公布新技术细节，因为市场仿冒抄袭者太多，只会从其他人的努力成果取利。

许多人东西可能我们从没想过，其实是可以变成自动化，例如计数器计算每天燕子进入燕屋的数目，入侵者监视及反击，自动清洁地板等等，也许自动计算燕窝数目或自动割采燕窝也可能办到的？但始终记住，所有的这些设备都是开销，我们应该衡量它是否达到我们的目的和实际需要，以及符合成本效益。如果你有好想法，但不知道如何转换成实际可行的自动化系统，您可以联系我出来喝杯茶交流意见。

My 1st R&D unit of Auto Sound Changer

(I have phase out this product)

Black 黑

I like to paint my roving room with black as well as open roof area if open roof entrance is used, simply just because there are more advantages using black than others.

As we know roving room is the access between entrance and nesting area, if the access is painted with black will help most in reducing light getting further into nesting area as black is the highest absorption of light. The theory in simple explanation is that when black object is illuminated by white light, all wavelengths are absorbed that's why the object appears black.

In fact, sun light contains infrared, which will eventually transform into heat. Black absorbs light at the same time it will be absorbing heat from going into nesting area, which serves as heat insulation as well.

Besides darkness control and heat insulation, black wall also can be a good record board to trace growth of BH population from those bird dropping marks if you know how to make use of it.

我总是喜欢采用黑色于我的漫游室以及天井墙壁如果是天井式入口，就只是因为它有比别的颜色更多的优势。

我们知道漫游室是洞入口通往造窝区之间的路径，如果路径油上黑色，将有助于减少光线进入造窝区因为黑色是吸收光线能力最高的颜色。简单的理论解释是当黑色物体遭到白光照明，所有的波长都被吸收而出现黑色。

事实上，太阳光线中含有红外线，最终将会转化为热能。黑色吸收光线同时将吸收掉红外线而阻止热能传导至造窝区，而产生隔热作用。

除了暗度控制和隔热，如果你知道如何利用它，黑墙也可以是一个很好的记录板，从那些燕子的粪便印来观察燕子的增长。

Make sure you are well prepared if intend DIY 如果你打算自己做,确保已充分的准备

A two storey standalone joint venture BH belongs to four partners, because one of them is my business friend, I was invited to pay a visit to their sick BH some time ago located at North. This BH has been operating for almost three years but only 4 nests. This BH was actually DIY designed by these four partners after attending a Bird House Design Course conducted by a famous consultant, the course cost them thousand more each person.

The BH on oil palm plantation, a dog kennel type entry. Normal quality external sound was used, but no bird was playing at the entrance when we arrived. Exterior doesn’t seem much problem, and roving room slightly narrow but I think should still be OK. After seeing the interior, I think any experienced swiftlet farmer will be able to point out what’s wrong in there. Even the temperature and humidity were not wrong, but others. Very poor plank formation and structure, very few tweeters and not installed at right position, no any fake nest aiding, poor internal sound, and so on.

Obviously they had not done enough homework before started building their BH. They could only learn the basic BH concept from course but they have never practically studied swiftlet behaviour and understand swiftlet’s lifestyle well. I advised them to upgrade the plank structure, rearrange tweeters, change internal and external sound, and many others in detail. I will advise that if you intend to DIY a BH, make sure you are well prepared as such a failure would be very costly.

一间两层楼独立的燕屋由四个合作伙伴拥有，因为其中一个是我生意上的朋友，我应邀拜访他们位于北部一间不理想的燕屋。这燕屋已运作了将近三年，但仅只有四个窝。其实这间燕屋是这四个合作伙伴每人花千多元，在参加一个由一个著名的顾问主办的燕屋设计课程后，自己设计的。

燕屋建立在油棕园里，采用狗洞式入口。外声听来只是普通质量，我们到达时也没有燕子在门口玩。其实外部看来似乎没有太大的问题，漫游室稍微窄，但我觉得还不是大问题。再到室内看，那时我认为任何有经验的燕农都能指出那些问题。虽然温度和湿度没有问题，但其他的却都不对。很燕板结构不理想，喇叭太少而且安装位置不对，没有采用任何假窝协助，低质量内声，等等。

显然，他们在没有做足够的功课前已开始建立他们的燕屋。参加课程只能学习到基本原则概念，但他们从来没有实际的研究观察燕子的行为，和充分了解燕子的生活方式。我建议他们升级燕屋燕板结构，增加喇叭数目且重新排列其位置，更改内声和外声，和许多其他的东西和细节等等。我会建议，如果你打算自己设计燕屋，确定你做充分的准备，否则失败将会造成很大的损失。

Try not to disturb your tenants during raining season 雨季尽量不要打扰你的燕子

Most of us know that during raining day, a lot of swiftlets will be playing around the BH, and they will not go far for food. There is a say that during raining day swiflet will get their food easily as lot of insert will fly out from tree, after meal swiflet will play nearby BH. I will not deny that but besides I think there is an another main reason.

I notice that during raining season when I visit my BH, a lot of birds will be staying inside BH incubating, and I also notice that those eggs will take longer time to get incubated into baby birds compared to summer season. From that derives during raining day temperature of BH will drop lower around 25°C~26°C, thus those parents will need alwaays to keep their eggs warm, they take turn incubating and not going far for food and keep short. That would be the reason why during raining day many bird are around BH and stay nearby BH for food. I will never enter BH for harvesting or other activities in a raining day or cloudy day during raining season.

我们大多数人都知道，雨天会有很多燕子在燕屋附近围绕，就算他们出去觅食都不会太远。有个说法是，在雨天大量的飞虫会飞出来，燕子将容易觅得到他们的食物，吃饱后燕群会在燕屋附近飞。这说法我不否认，但我认为还有另一个更主要的原因。

我有注意到在雨季时，当我去进入我的燕屋，将看到很多的燕子在燕屋里孵蛋。我也注意到，燕蛋将需要更长的时间孵化成小燕子比起旱季。由此推论，燕屋在雨天温度将降至大约二十五六度的，因此，那些燕子父母需要一直保温燕蛋，他们会轮流孵化，也不会到远处觅食。因此下雨天会有许多燕子在燕屋外飞行和在燕屋里孵蛋，我将不会在下雨天或阴天进入燕屋采割燕窝或任何维修以避免打扰它们孵蛋特别是在雨季。