Bird Nest Farming

[h90]

These swifts are close to our house and the neighbor is doing it already.

Someone has experience???

Thanks

Michael

[voracious]

Michael,

I founda couple links with some information that may help you:

http://swiftlet-ranching-thailand.blogspot.com/ (has video on grooving planks for nesting)

http://birdnestfarm.wordpress.com/

If you do it, make sure to clean it VERY well. The difference in the quality of the product is very important, especially if you want repeat business from the Chinese.

Best of luck with the business!

[h90]

Michael,

I founda couple links with some information that may help you:

http://swiftlet-ranching-thailand.blogspot.com/ (has video on grooving planks for nesting)

http://birdnestfarm.wordpress.com/

If you do it, make sure to clean it VERY well. The difference in the quality of the product is very important, especially if you want repeat business from the Chinese.

Best of luck with the business!

Thanks, I knew the first link, but the second was new.

I am not yet at the step of cleaning....

I am on the stage to modify the house first and hope I get the swifts and not a couple of bats.....

Pretty interesting thing.

[huuwi]

Michael,

I founda couple links with some information that may help you:

http://swiftlet-ranc...d.blogspot.com/ (has video on grooving planks for nesting)

http://birdnestfarm.wordpress.com/

If you do it, make sure to clean it VERY well. The difference in the quality of the product is very important, especially if you want repeat business from the Chinese.

Best of luck with the business!

Thanks, I knew the first link, but the second was new.

I am not yet at the step of cleaning....

I am on the stage to modify the house first and hope I get the swifts and not a couple of bats.....

Pretty interesting thing.

Hi,

i'm new in here.

do you have any idea how old this swiftlets get.

I been reading a bit about them, but cant find anything about it.

thx

[rangnok]

Swiftlet life span 10 to 14yrs. It is very new industry in thailand as compare to malaysia and indonesia. Unfortunately, the failure rate is very high i.e. 80%. As you aware that, these bird is free in and out of your bird house (BH), therefore, the external and internal design is very very important. One its successful, u may just sit back and wait for the "white gold to grow". Bird nest farming (commercially) started since about 10 to 12yrs ago. Malaysia 30yrs and indonesia 3rd generation. major supply is indonesia 80%, thailand 10%, malaysia 8% and 2% others. anyway, should anyone need further or more detail information about bird nest farming, please do not hesitate to contact me at <snip>

average per kg 38000 to 42000baht/kg for UNPROCESSED BIRD NEST. There are 3 types of bird species that make nest from saliva. 1st is saliva + grass, 2nd is saliva + feather and 3rd saliva only (supreme quality).

Edited July 13, 2011 by soundman
Removed email as per forum rules, pls. PM member

[Foreverford]

Swiftlet life span 10 to 14yrs. It is very new industry in thailand as compare to malaysia and indonesia. Unfortunately, the failure rate is very high i.e. 80%. As you aware that, these bird is free in and out of your bird house (BH), therefore, the external and internal design is very very important. One its successful, u may just sit back and wait for the "white gold to grow". Bird nest farming (commercially) started since about 10 to 12yrs ago. Malaysia 30yrs and indonesia 3rd generation. major supply is indonesia 80%, thailand 10%, malaysia 8% and 2% others. anyway, should anyone need further or more detail information about bird nest farming, please do not hesitate to contact me at <snip>

average per kg 38000 to 42000baht/kg for UNPROCESSED BIRD NEST. There are 3 types of bird species that make nest from saliva. 1st is saliva + grass, 2nd is saliva + feather and 3rd saliva only (supreme quality).

Where is your farm located?

[rangnok]

Mostly located in southen thailand (Surat, Trang, Songkhla, Ranod, Hua Sai, Nakhon & Yala). Will start soon near rayong to chantaburi.

[huuwi]

Mostly located in southen thailand (Surat, Trang, Songkhla, Ranod, Hua Sai, Nakhon & Yala). Will start soon near rayong to chantaburi.

hi rangnok,

i'm located in trang.

are you anywhere nearby.

lets meet and chat.

huuwi

[h90]

Good luck everyone!

[huuwi]

Good luck everyone!

h90,

have you started with your BH already.

where are you located.

huuwi

[h90]

Good luck everyone!

h90,

have you started with your BH already.

where are you located.

huuwi

The BH is in Nakhon Si Thammerat, downtown.

If you want to start one, drop me a message. I can't advise what to do, but I can write you a long list of my mistakes so you won't make the same one....

(unless it happens that you are my neighbor in NST, than I don't tell anything :lol: )

[huuwi]

Good luck everyone!

h90,

have you started with your BH already.

where are you located.

huuwi

The BH is in Nakhon Si Thammerat, downtown.

If you want to start one, drop me a message. I can't advise what to do, but I can write you a long list of my mistakes so you won't make the same one....

(unless it happens that you are my neighbor in NST, than I don't tell anything :lol: )

if you call 100+km neighbor then we are.

would be nice if you can send some hint's of doe's and dont's.

special, the kind of wood and what it called in thai.

huuwi

[rangnok]

Hi huuwi,

i'm fly to surat next week. might drop by trang while on the way to songkhla. Will call in advance.

so far i'm using red meranti or Sear Deng (in thai).

Hi h90,

nice to know you as a neighbour BUT mine is outside town. Are you near the morning market?

If anyone looking to buy BH with bird nest (ave,3kg/month) , pls let me know. thanks.

[h90]

Hi huuwi,

i'm fly to surat next week. might drop by trang while on the way to songkhla. Will call in advance.

so far i'm using red meranti or Sear Deng (in thai).

Hi h90,

nice to know you as a neighbour BUT mine is outside town. Are you near the morning market?

If anyone looking to buy BH with bird nest (ave,3kg/month) , pls let me know. thanks.

Hi,

I am near Robinson Soi Wattana 2 (or something like that). Currently 10 birds, but it is just 1 floor. In NST it is already complete crazy, in this Soi every 2nd building is a bird house, most have no or almost no birds, just too many places.

[huuwi]

Hi huuwi,

i'm fly to surat next week. might drop by trang while on the way to songkhla. Will call in advance.

so far i'm using red meranti or Sear Deng (in thai).

Hi h90,

nice to know you as a neighbour BUT mine is outside town. Are you near the morning market?

If anyone looking to buy BH with bird nest (ave,3kg/month) , pls let me know. thanks.

hi rangnok,

if nothing happen on phuket regarding fishing, i will be in trang.

mmhh my wood is red too, but not sure if it is the same, this is what puzzle me.

h90, are you using sear deng.

looking forward to more input, it's always learning, learning, learning.

i notice a big house around my place on the main road, they did good in the begining, but then they got a owl inside, now they start allover again.

trang town has some good houses, but also some they just fail.

keep your tips coming

huuwi

[h90]

Hi huuwi,

i'm fly to surat next week. might drop by trang while on the way to songkhla. Will call in advance.

so far i'm using red meranti or Sear Deng (in thai).

Hi h90,

nice to know you as a neighbour BUT mine is outside town. Are you near the morning market?

If anyone looking to buy BH with bird nest (ave,3kg/month) , pls let me know. thanks.

hi rangnok,

if nothing happen on phuket regarding fishing, i will be in trang.

mmhh my wood is red too, but not sure if it is the same, this is what puzzle me.

h90, are you using sear deng.

looking forward to more input, it's always learning, learning, learning.

i notice a big house around my place on the main road, they did good in the begining, but then they got a owl inside, now they start allover again.

trang town has some good houses, but also some they just fail.

keep your tips coming

huuwi

there is a more white and a more red wood. We have the more white one, bought from Yala. It is not as resistant to moisture than the red one. But I don't think that is very critical.

What I think is critical:

Temperature inside

good sound to attract them

design and sound (location of the speaker) so they find the way in might be most critical.

no way for a competitor to throw something smelly in.

no cockroaches inside

places with water that automatic refills must be safe. if the refill fails and you get everywhere water for a long time you might be in big troubles

patience....don't walk in all the time to check for birds....

[huuwi]

Hi huuwi,

i'm fly to surat next week. might drop by trang while on the way to songkhla. Will call in advance.

so far i'm using red meranti or Sear Deng (in thai).

Hi h90,

nice to know you as a neighbour BUT mine is outside town. Are you near the morning market?

If anyone looking to buy BH with bird nest (ave,3kg/month) , pls let me know. thanks.

hi rangnok,

if nothing happen on phuket regarding fishing, i will be in trang.

mmhh my wood is red too, but not sure if it is the same, this is what puzzle me.

h90, are you using sear deng.

looking forward to more input, it's always learning, learning, learning.

i notice a big house around my place on the main road, they did good in the begining, but then they got a owl inside, now they start allover again.

trang town has some good houses, but also some they just fail.

keep your tips coming

huuwi

there is a more white and a more red wood. We have the more white one, bought from Yala. It is not as resistant to moisture than the red one. But I don't think that is very critical.

What I think is critical:

Temperature inside

good sound to attract them

design and sound (location of the speaker) so they find the way in might be most critical.

no way for a competitor to throw something smelly in.

no cockroaches inside

places with water that automatic refills must be safe. if the refill fails and you get everywhere water for a long time you might be in big troubles

patience....don't walk in all the time to check for birds....

yeah, that is what i had a lot in the begining, moisture on the wood. i brushed it off.

now i have a good ventilation system and it is dry, huminity is 70+ % and temp is around 26 to 29 degree.

as i'm located out of town, we got some issue with snake's, but i guess i greased it of .

my buddy from malaysia installed the sound system, he has done a great job, better then any disco i know .

are you retiered in nakorn?

huuwi

[h90]

Hi huuwi,

i'm fly to surat next week. might drop by trang while on the way to songkhla. Will call in advance.

so far i'm using red meranti or Sear Deng (in thai).

Hi h90,

nice to know you as a neighbour BUT mine is outside town. Are you near the morning market?

If anyone looking to buy BH with bird nest (ave,3kg/month) , pls let me know. thanks.

hi rangnok,

if nothing happen on phuket regarding fishing, i will be in trang.

mmhh my wood is red too, but not sure if it is the same, this is what puzzle me.

h90, are you using sear deng.

looking forward to more input, it's always learning, learning, learning.

i notice a big house around my place on the main road, they did good in the begining, but then they got a owl inside, now they start allover again.

trang town has some good houses, but also some they just fail.

keep your tips coming

huuwi

there is a more white and a more red wood. We have the more white one, bought from Yala. It is not as resistant to moisture than the red one. But I don't think that is very critical.

What I think is critical:

Temperature inside

good sound to attract them

design and sound (location of the speaker) so they find the way in might be most critical.

no way for a competitor to throw something smelly in.

no cockroaches inside

places with water that automatic refills must be safe. if the refill fails and you get everywhere water for a long time you might be in big troubles

patience....don't walk in all the time to check for birds....

yeah, that is what i had a lot in the begining, moisture on the wood. i brushed it off.

now i have a good ventilation system and it is dry, huminity is 70+ % and temp is around 26 to 29 degree.

as i'm located out of town, we got some issue with snake's, but i guess i greased it of .

my buddy from malaysia installed the sound system, he has done a great job, better then any disco i know .

are you retiered in nakorn?

huuwi

Many say moisture should be 80-90 %. But I am not sure if that is real necessary. I am a bit too high on the temperature (I bought a device to monitor temperature and moisture, which can be read out per USB), but didn't receive it yet. The relative cheap "home use" devices all failed. So my next task will be additional ventilation and a bit more moisture (mostly to bring the temp down).

Currently I have many black pods for water inside (these in which people normally mix concrete)so the birds have something to drink (never saw a bird inside drinking)increase moisture and balance temperature. It does not help wonders but a little.

Malaysia and Indonesia seems to be ahead of Thailand in matter of bird technology.

I have three amplifier: 1 for inside sound. I am still not sure if it is loud enough, but I have every night some birds sitting on the speaker, so it seems they like it.

1 for outside sound.

1 I have spare and will use now for either the outside sound I play inside (to be able to regulate it independent) or I use it to drive some bazookas outside.

I use 5 cheap network-cameras with sound which are also moveable to check everything. Connected to the internet.

No I am living in Bangkok. When I have time I fly to Nakon, enjoy the food and try to improve the birds place. It is just 1 floor in an old house, so small business...

[huuwi]

yeah, malaysia and indo are far ahead. been in sitiauwan in malaysia, they called it the speachlees street, and i was speachlees. this are my day dreams when i sit at the house and watch the tweetys coming back home,but not yet.

i got a humiphyer( spell??) inside, but then we had like 99% for a long time so i shut it down.

with the huminity now, i think the birds are ok, we have a good increase over the last 2-3 month.

the sound system my buddy put in has 5 amplifier, 2 for the baby sound witch switch every 30min, as they run 24/7

roofing sound, bazookas and satelite.

i also have only one floor building, but i can extend as the land is from my missus.

when you are back to nakon?

maybe rangnok has time to teach.:jap: huuwi

[rangnok]

Hi h90,

Nice knowing you. next time when u fly to Nakhon, pls let me know, we can catch up for coffee there. I going down to south this fri to mon. start from surat all the down. yes, u r right, nakhon have many BH but mostly fail i.e. over 70%. it is still got chance. if i were you, i rather go outside nakhon town, pull the young bird from nakhon town BH. Anyway, i'm soon selling it to my partner. will move on to another location.

Hi huuwi,

trang is good place for BH, but just to make sure the design is right. Sear Deng is easier for bird to make nest i.e. soften enough for them to scratch in order to start glueing their with saliva. If the wood too hard, it is not suitable too. some wood easy to get fungus due to BH have high humidity. lastly, the wood has to be hard enough to protect against termite "white ant". The groove line has to be designed properly too. It is all about providing them the best and easiet way to make nest. Worry about owl (hor nok hu, haha try to speak thai), u should install "something" at the main entrance and or secondary entrance.

General comment,

good BH has to be well design, temperature, humidity, lighting, fly path, air flow / ventilation, good sound & sound system (setting of speaker) and last but not least VERY IMPORTANT good location. high temperature doesn't mean due to low humidity. humidity and temperature is different. Should have install some thermal insulation to the wall and or ceiling. high humid is necessary, because bird not thirsty and also bigger nest. all this factor is part and parcel of the design in ensuring a successful BH.

Indonesia and malaysia had enter into VERY VERY COMPETITVE MARKET for farming bird nest. therefore, they have never stop improving their BH. i.e. even 5star BH still trying to upgrade. New Bh nto adviseable to go in regularly. the best to monitor is wither from CCTV (broadband) OR looking at the entrance hole early morning just before bird fly off or evening just before bird come back. This way, u can chk the quantity of bird staying in your bird house. probably u can go in chk your BH (for new BH) once a month. Just to chk bird shit dropping and also make sure sound system is still functioning as well as the humidifier.

if fungus on the wood, brush them off, or probably due to the humidifier is directly toward the wood or may be due to some waletr leaking.

[h90]

huuwi: how much did you pay for the humidifier? Cheapest I saw was 850 RM in Malaysia without shipping and customs duty.

I bought some devices in Austria now (Austria has dry air in winter, so it is a mainstream product) and want to try to add a refill myself. But will need a month till I receive it.

I may or may not be in Nakhon at next weekend. Actually I was sure till today in the morning. Today in the morning one of my CNC machines for making hydraulic seals broke down and needs repair, so I might not be able to leave Bangkok.

I have a lot small issues which I know about and can fix myself (some wrong speakers, I started with car mid-range speaker for external sound. Birds really like these speakers, but they distribute sound in every direction 360 degree, so they are not suitable for inside when I want to bring the birds down to the nesting area, because the speaker also pulls them out ).

Too less moisture

Too much temperature

I would love to have someone have a look after I fixed these obvious problems.

rangnok: For sure my flying path is bad.

It is an old existing house for living and beauty saloon which I converted. while the birds perfectly enter the roof, they must fly down the stairs to the 4th floor and that is too small in my inexperienced opinion. I think they are afraid from doing so. I'll make pictures next time. If I increase that place the house will collapse

Will make some pics and post it next time I am there.

Thanks for the value information!

[rangnok]

h90,

why not u email the layout plan, level by level. then probably i can highlight some design. pls indicate the dimension and sun direction. my email [email protected]

[h90]

h90,

why not u email the layout plan, level by level. then probably i can highlight some design. pls indicate the dimension and sun direction. my email [email protected]

I need to measure it first to draw a plan.

[h90]

here some pictures, of the stairs down

[h90]

here some pictures, of the stairs down

Edited July 19, 2011 by h90

[h90]

here hopefully the other attachments

[h90]

I know it isn't possible to saw much with only these pictures, but just for a general idea of it.

[rangnok]

OK, then pls email the full layout of each floor. so that i we can work out the more realistic idea of modification.

[huuwi]

I know it isn't possible to saw much with only these pictures, but just for a general idea of it.

not sure what i paid for the humidifier, but i got it from malaysia.

speakers are from there too, little one, design for BH use.

I can get the price for you if you want, i go quiet regular to malaysia.

after reading, are you from austria?

rangnok

get another mistery solved, where you are from?

i had birds in very quick, but then it stoped at around 10 to 15.

biggest worrys where the fungus, but this i got under control, then the temperature, so i build a second roof, so problem solved.

meet the bird king from penang and he gave me some addvice too regarding the room,ventilation,entrance and roofing.

i followed his addvice and it works.

regarding the wood, we screewed some form on to fool the birds and this work as well.

when you fly in let me know.

[email protected]

general,

i'm from the fatherland

[rangnok]

Hi huuwi,

i'm malaysian had been doing construction business almost 9yrs and bird nest farming & wholesale almost 6yrs. Bird in quick probably due to NEW design (sound or design), the 10 and 15 is probably from one group/colony. if its stop, then most likely u have to modify again. anyway, u try to wait after august, because now still breeding season. by next month should have many young birds. Hopefully, u can pull most of them. fungus and temperature, shouldn't be a problem for solving. additional roofing is simpliest way. make sure also you brickwall not heat adsorption. therefore, many do double layer of brickwall to avoid heat from wall too. yes, the white form or u can even buy the fake(plastic) nest to cheat the bird.

i'm going down to southen this weekend, start from fri and probably finish on monday. Sound system and setting of speaker is very important too.