I'm new in swiftlets farming and currently in progress of building a house based swiftlets farm. Anyone into this business to share their experiences? Here are the things I use in building the swiftlets farm. Budget is below RM5K basically a poor man's birdhouse.

1)Plank: 6" X 1" Meranti Bukit wood
2)Humidifier: 2 X Chicken farming humidifier blowing diagonal with hygrostat control.
3)Roof: Zinc roof with 2x water sprinkler water pump generated. Insulation polystyrin boards and fiberglass wool.
4)Ventilation: sufficient. with 4" PVC pipes.(Can't use ventilation brick in there)
5)Bird sound: Double type multiple swiftlets calling on CD+Amplier and USB+Amp.
6)Tweeter: 24x 2" tweeters inside, 2x 45degree pipes with 2x tweeters in
7)8 grooves on each plank, 4x 45degree board with hormone smell in each cubic.
8)Cubicial size 16"x48", 16"x24", 14"x48".
9)20X silicone based +20 plastic based synthetic nest on the flat parts of planks.
10)Humidity Stabilizer 2 x 4' Pool
Waiting for more opinion for improvements.

Some links regarding swiftlet farming:
Kong Heng Swiftlets Equipments Supply
Nest Tech Equipment Technology
Ming-Yan.com
Nest Talk Consultation Service
Crystal Swiftlets
Klub Peternak Walet - Indonesia
aerodramus.com
Yahoo Discussion Group

Blogs regarding swiftlet farming:
CATATAN HENMILIA

Swiftlet Farming : an Addictive Hobby & Multi-Million Dollar Business
Johan Walet.com
GMYS ENTERPRISE-Menjual Peralatan Memancing Burung Walet
Swallow Bird Nest Indonesia
燕农天地与燕屋管理 (swiftlet farming & management)
World of Swiftlet Farming

This post has been edited by seeseng: Feb 15 2009, 01:01 PM


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Thanks mod for moving the thread here. License really depend on which state you're in and my state still no need license yet. It's not hard to obtain license(If available to apply lah). You just need to attend a seminar and follow some of the guidelines given such as no water pond to be build inside. Now mostly using humidifier to humidify the air. My setting will only play n from 6am-8:30am then 4pm to 8pm and all the neibours are doing swiftlets farming themselves so no problem. Just they're too close-up to share experience with rookie like me. Ask question from them they will ask you to pay RM5K-RM10K consultation fee.
So I bought some guide books to learn hope to minimise the chances of failure.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Oct 6 2007, 07:38 PM

May I know where's your location? So far my local authority still no need us to obtain license yet. The RM400 is annual fee? The seminar you attended held by who? I haven't attended any seminar but I got a seminar recorded 2 DVD video. Have to make sure my place up to the standard approved for license. Who knows when they will start license policy here. The guide books I bought from the company who organize those seminars. 3 books + a DVD in 1 set.

Yup, swiftlet farming is definitely not a cheap investment and risk of failure is high. Some even used up to RM50K/ floor for renovation and equipments. Mine starting very small around 25' x 40' area only. If can success will double up the area. Mine budget should below RM5K not sure yet. Now still cleaning and clearing up the place. I have 3 guide books that come in a set.
1) Bird's nest and swiftlet farming
2) Swiftlet farming: An Ideal Investment in Malaysia
3) House Swiftlet Behaviour and Farming.

The company name is Nest Tech Equipment Technology located in JB. Check out http://www.nesttech.com.my
They got quite a numbers of swiftlet farming equipments for sales.

Sitiawan! Rank number 1 for quantity of swiftlets in Malaysia. There are more swiftlet than human in Sitiawan! Because in my guide books did mentioned about sharing experience among operators. But in reality not many want to share.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Oct 18 2007, 03:37 PM

May I know how much the consultant cost? Are they company specilised in this field? No harm to know more experts. So yes please, number and person/company name.
Although I'm planning to do it myself. Of coure those renovation thing need to hire "tukang" lah. Want to do it myself so I'll know every detail of it then maybe if my place success later can become "Consultant" leh

This post has been edited by seeseng: Mar 26 2007, 01:17 PM

The books cost me RM403 include postlaju. But what to do? Hire consultant more expensive. My 2nd renovation is not in the same room. It's next door room separated by a wooden partition. Can renovate siap-siap then only open up the wooden partition to make it bigger area. BTW no cement will be used in the renovation. The place is downstair cement upstair wooden old shop lot.

There's another company in Kuantan selling swiftlet farming equipments - http://konghengswiftlets.com/

Agree. Super expensive. I have whole pricelist of their chemical liquid. Cheapest one the ammonia RM220/5 liter! The digital hygrometer/termometer RM180. That one I checked online selling around RM50 only. But dunno where to find in Malaysia other than Nest Tech. The long distance speaker is the long pipe look 1? They have long distance and middle distance. For mine I use 4" PVC pipe to DIY into 2 x middle distance speakers. 45 degree poiting up. I guess their 6 direction/8 direction speakers could cost a bomb! BTW I only use 1 amplifier so outside and inside noice is the same.

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Added on March 26, 2007, 1:53 pmI'm 34 and doing these alone. More ppl more different ideas. Since this is my first "experimental" farming better do it myself.
Ideal humidity is 80%-90%. So good quality wood is a must. I choose "Meranti". but must not be hard because swiftlets' claws need to hook up there. Soft type meranti that soft but have resistance to humidity. Since there are almost uncountable types of meranti. I particularly choose "Meranti bukit" because it's dark-reddish colour and very little smell compare to others. Don't choose the softest type because when "harvesting" the knife can damage the wood if too soft. As for 45degree angle wood I will buy from Nest Tech's hormone smelled ready made. RM190/50pcs.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Mar 26 2007, 01:54 PM

FYI I'm in Kuala Terengganu. Sitiawan is one of Hamster9's swiftlet farm there. As starting I won't use the 6/8 directional speaker yet. How much you bought the 6/8 directional?? Include the water nozzles and the "External Swiftlet Attraction system - Mist Cooling Pump NT-1P" ?? So far here nobody using the 6/8 direction yet. If I first ppl use scare kean boycott lorr. The 45� wood I just want to try Nest Tech claimed so powerful. The wood they soaked in their formulated liquid. Normal type can get at less than RM2/pc. Nest Tech selling RM3.80/pc. Metal plate not so recommended coz metal+humid=oxidize=toxic.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Oct 18 2007, 03:41 PM

The consultant did everything for you then charge a total sum? 15 piles of droppings + 1 nest base is quite promising. But for more accurate result evaluation should be the 1st 6 months. To be consider successful must have at least 10 units of base or nest combined.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Mar 27 2007, 01:47 AM

weihow_2000 your consultant uncle got sell Humidity/Thermometer? Preferable digital type. Nest Tech selling too expensive. Made in China. Found people sell in E-Bay Hongkong converted to RM around RM50 only.


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I currently still asking every where to get the hygrometer/thermometer locally. From Ebay HK the item price cheap but shipping alone already over RM60 so cannot buy.


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Thanks for the info. But those in ebay.com.my all the "Item location" is in Hongkong. Shipping need �7.99+�1.00 insurance. �8.99=around RM61.32
Other than that are those made in Japan/German professional industry use hygrometer
For sure there are some KL companies selling but don't know which/where. You know the companies names? I also contacted Kong Heng Swiftlet in Kuantan. They don't have stock for the auto hygrometer controller also.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Mar 27 2007, 03:55 PM

New updates: Successfully ordered a digital Hygrometer/Thermometer CT-138B from CT made in Taiwan @RM75 including shipping.



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I bought the Hygrometer/Thermometer from a local supplier here.
I'm now measuring and calculationg the amount of planks needed to build the "hotel rooms". Also how big a cubical should be and the numbers of 45degree angle wood needed.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Jan 20 2008, 08:15 AM

Hi Sam, welcome to the forum. I'm from KT but never heard of Tok Soboh as well. Under which daerah? May i know how old are your farms? Are there many other swiftlet farms at Tok Soboh? Did you hire consultants to build your farms? Mine totally DIY. May I know which specific Meranti wood you're using for nesting planks? I'm still considering about wood type. Some local farmers here use Meranti Bukit but I think it's a bit too hard in density. The most commonly use is Meranti Kepong. But KT wood suppliers don't have that.
Thanks for your enlightened links on this topic. The first one : Make Millions From Swiftlet Farming: A definitive Guide by Dr. Christopher Lim. I have the book myself bought directly from the author. (But forgot to ask him autograph it )

Success or failure in this investment solely depend on how well the investors understand about the behaviour of this species of bird. Chances of failure can be as high as 50%. Luck is one of the factors but not the most important. Swiftlet farming has become scientific throughout the years. It has become kind of like hotel management business. No doubt Sitiawan has the largest population of swiftlet in Malaysia. But problem in Sitiawan is the nest is become smaller and smaller. Chances of getting A grade nests is getting lower because of over poplulated and food source become scarce.

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Added on April 6, 2007, 5:45 amNot much flesh to be eaten and it's illegal to harm/kill the species "Aerodramus Fuciplagus". It's highly protected species and only exist in Southeast Asia.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Apr 6 2007, 05:45 AM

Sam, your 3 & 5 years old farms are 80% and up occupied? I believe they're making quite some profits each month. Normally a successful swiftlet farm can pay up the capital within the first 2 years. So I guess yours is making $ minus the very low monthly utility bills. How long is your duration of harvest and guano clean-up?
As for mine I'm still waiting for Nest Tech to send me their formulated 45degree planks. Have to use theirs as sample to match the grooves to be made on my main nesting planks. Most probably I'll go for "Meranti Bukit" because not many choice of meranti to choose from local plank supplier. I might order from Kota Bharu supplier since I heard some of them have 0.7" thick x 6 inch planks. Cheaper and lighter in weight.
My under construction farm is very small. 32' x 19' for nesting area. I'm doing it DIY because budget limited. I took over this 1 year+ tiny farm from friend. No swiftlet stay in at all for 1 year+. Only guano from those test out the farm and left. The farm has many problems to be fixed. My job is to re-renovate and change whatever that's not right. The main problem is the farm is a store-room+swiftlet farm. 1/4 occupied by unused steel air-ducts, company old ledgers, account paper works... files etc etc... With those stuff inside they're generally doing rat and cockroach farming. Not swiftlet. Now I'm clearing up the area and refurbish the place.
Roof top prison tower style entrance with two 3'x3' holes facing north/south. Tower size 4'x4' down to a small roving area before entering nesting area.
Crystal Swiftlet - Do they use their CS Swiftlet Farming Mating Potions in your farms? After constructed your farms how long is their warranty period given? Any after sales services & charges?
I have Dr. Chris' book and 3 books from Mr. Phang Kam Wah. Mr.Phang's books really "advertise" their own product a lot. I think I'm going to order Crystal Swiftlets book as well. Interested in that 32 degree C surviving farm. As I'm in headache of lowering the farm temperature in this April. Hottest month of the year. Humidity can achieve 75%RH but temp highest can hit 31.6 degree. Planning to add timer controlled 12" exhaust fan but unsure of how effective it is.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Apr 6 2007, 04:07 PM

This piece of equipment is called Hygrostat. It's an ON/OFF switch trigger by humidity. e.g we set the hygrostat to 80% RF. It will stop the current flow to your humidifier when it detects the humidity is 80%RF and will run again if humidity fall below 80%. Very good for humidity control.
Normally in swiftlet farms people use timer switch to control the humidifier. Will auto off at time where natural humidity is high enaugh. But on rainy days humidity is high too but timer controlled would fail its purpose. Over humid will results in molds on nesting planks, nest become yellowish hence grade fall.

This post has been edited by seeseng: Apr 6 2007, 11:07 PM


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