Swiftlet House Design

[frank123]

Hello everyone,

This is my first message thread in this forum. I understand design of a swiftlet house is so important to the success of a swiftlet farm. Can anyone share some designs here? I guess this is the best way to learn.



Frank

[Mark]

Hi Frank,

To answer your question, it really seem a bit subjective.
There are ppl who are able to start up their swiftlet farm with less than RM20K. Honestly I dont know is it included the renovation cost or only the equipment cost.
But normally for 1 floor (20x 70) a standard renovation (the design and material used is above standard, and not the below standard one)and with normal basic equipment will cost you around RM 40K to RM50K.

For me the important thing is to have swiftlets and enough for me to harvest and sell as commercial. If not, regardless how cheap or how friendly that person is...NO USE.
Hope this helps. ;D

[frank123]

You mean RM40-50k per floor is considered std? I thought the average for two storey shop(20x70') is RM40-50k for two floors. Can someone share the average price?

Frank

[info]

normally it cost about 12K for each floor of 20X70 floor consultant fees not included.the rest is up to u to think about it
CON sultant or consultant

[Ting]

You mean 12k for a floor of 20x 70. I doubt this can be agood one.
Must be quite simple and not much. My humble advise is not evaluate on the amount that you need to spend but on what that need to be done.
The more that need to be done eventually the amount will be more.
Of course, depends on your objective too. If you want something that can only swiftlet come and not many will come and produce enough harvest for you for commercial sales, then is your own call.
I have a farm which I only renovated around RM 20K material cost and labour cost, no consultant cost. But this I did it myself with some helps from friends and contractor, until today I only have 150 swiftlets. NEst is around 50 nest to 60 nest total in the farm (already 4 years).
Now I see the problem, and I cant do much already.
I learn my lesson. Dont be too silly just to save that bit and make you life suffer for rest of the life.

[frank123]

I believe 12k per floor is only for the planks and workmanship, no equipment, or the equipment and labor cost is marginal. When I mention 40-50k is with concrete ceiling on the top floor for a two storey shop. The consultant quoted me 40k for top floor alone with all the necessary equipments and labor, concrete ceiling. But just to add another 8k to renovate one more floor below. I guess, he has included the consultation cost(with his design idea) too, hence, the one floor price is rather high. Any comment?

[kohloh]

yes, as u say for the concrect flooring it will sure cost u that but as my opinion ,even May Bank or Public Bank also can be break tru if those guys want it,so why worry so much since u dont know what are u getting(result) in 3 years time as u know that 85% of nest farm is at the failing side.for me i can 100% sure that my farm success after my research then only i built farm n i will surely have an watch man staying there all time to secure it like most of our gang but if those crooks wants it they will still tie up the watch man
so dont worry much for the start n just kump in it to get the starting result first cause u wont know weather u are at the 85% side or 15%(success) side.

[kohloh]

on the other side ,there is an story i wanted to tell here,
once i was surveying for swift populations at some remote area,i stop at an location that i had aready survey how many nest are there for the area(how many pieces nest from that town) n i was surveying at the remote area where the birds feeds.after some time playing birds sound it had only 20+ birds playing around there as i aready know its only about 400 to 500 nest for the whole area cause i use to collect up nest at that town BUT when i was surveying ,there is an new beginer that peak what i,m doing n saw the result that i had attracted about 20+ birds to play aroung the sound n the worst is he think that the area is good for farming but in my mind its an bad area so later few weeks he started to built an large farm at near by that area that he had an plantation land there.so the farm(building ) stand n after an year of calling he only has about 10pieces of nest(failling result) but the money he invested in is about 500K
do u guys think its an right invest??
how long do u think it will get an good return??
actually nest farming does not work this way,many study must be done before any moves are made,more n more people farm means making it harder n harder in future time n sooner or later goverment will takes actions cause no matters in what form ,goverment wont allow so many farms sitting in the city..in the other hand do u think goverment will issue licences for cicken breeders to set up their farm inside the city area???or motor bike shop or tyre shop??

[richardtoh1]

I do get your point kohloh. But I believe this is only 1 side of the story.

1. You dont need until 500K for the purpose built building.
Mine, everything was good and also purpose built (25x 90) and 4 storeys, only around RM 420K including everything (the best audio system, the good plank, good design and good consultation).
2. I fully believe, once you get it right (the design and the echolocation), you will have the result as mine farm. Less than a year, now I have more than enough to harvest and I could not ask anything more. The most successful farm in my near by location.
3. Of course, any business involve cost and risk. If you think that you dont want to take risk of the government issue, you can always start your farm in the land. And if you think that you really cant take any risk, then is better dont start anything.
Rather than doing half-cook (still need to spend, 12K or 20K or 60K-still is money) yet cant get a favourable result on the harvest.
4. You start your farm long time ago where there isnt any or much competition, therefore the startegy will be much different.
Now, is totally a different story after all. You mentioned your self, when more and more farms are there, there are more competition. That's where not many farm will have many harvest. Maybe 50 nest here, 10 nest there and few nest somewhere,and when you wnt to collect nest from ppl, is all more difficult. I am sure you notice it as you been collecting nest for so long and so much of quantity in a month. New comer are always lesser or not enough nest to sell it to you/probably cant sell it to you too caused is too little. As like you ask Alicia to keep her 3 nest to herself, right??! ;D

5. As like Ting said and I really fully agree, we miss the most important point here. We only focus on $$ and forget the most important matter- that's what has to be done in order to turn our property into the colonial farm (at least) and not below average in your location. If you guys still very blur, I pretty much recommend you all should attend the 1 day course with Jannette.

6. Chicken farm licence or not, is still very blur and uncertain. How is the future, no body know. What we can is only forecast. But I would rather do something more real and achieve my target first.
You going to take the risk, but by spending 12K or spending 20K or 30K, is not really important. The important is the result. You dont want after you spend 500K and yet you dont have the result.

Conculsion: Do the right thing in the farm. Not calculating on the amount. You going to spend anywhere. Is not a bit difference after all. Of course I am not saying 40K to 500K.
New comer, I would strongly suggest you know what you are going into, before you ask or engage anyone to construct for you.
Attend the class with Jannette. Is good.

[richardtoh1]

Please dont get me wrong Kohloh.
Sometime I just feel that we need to be fair to all Concern.
and I knew too, sometime in writting we do not mean what we write, just a poor expression in writting. But this, the one that are reading it will get a wrong idea.
If those who knows and of course has the brain to re-process and think with the God's Gift, then I am sure they will be laughing or knowing the truth.
But for those who are new comer and dont know much about this industry , looking forward to get more informations, will be mislead.
I hope next time when we really want to post our comments or opinion or advise, pls make sure we really know what we are writting and let it be fair to all concern.

Just my humble opinion. If I hurt your feeling, let me be the first to say sorry to you.

[frank123]

Hi all,
Got everybody's point. But the original intend of this forum topic is sharing farm house design, can anyone share? Looks like a bit difficult for people to share their own idea....copy right reserved ka?

Frank

[richardtoh1]

Frank,

Design of swiftlet farm does not have a standard one. You really need to understand the theory behind it.
But generally,
a layout of the swiftlet farm will have :-
1. The main entrance
2. The middle rowing area
3. The middle path way
4. The internal path way
5. The nesting area

And how you design the layout, you need to do a bit of homework and suit it to your shop lot or your environment.

[frank123]

Richard,
Where are you from? I am from Kedah.
I heard and learn about roving area, but not too sure if it is a must. Some contractors said it is not necessary, as bird may play and go. Best is to let them enter stright to the nesting area. And they said nesting area can be the area the young bird learning to fly as well. Do not know who is right who is wrong.
As for the middle roving area, middle and internal path way, I suppose the path has to be smooth and allow sufficient space for bird to make u turn or changing direction etc. Is this what you mean? What other criteria?

You may PM me if you need to. My email address is [e-mail].

Cheers,
Frank

[richardtoh1]

Hi Frank,

Sorry for the late reply as I just came back from o/s.
Well, I am not the expert too and I cant really remember everything.
I would suggest that you should have a copy of Jannette book or attend Jannette course.

I also attended her course, it will be better you understand from the expert. Would not want to give you the wrong idea.

[frank123]

I heard the course is only an introductory level. Hence, I have rejected their course last round.
Is any consultant conducting a intermediate to advance course?
Frank