I am not a breeder of swans. In fact, my "pair" is a DNA sexed male Mute and a DNA sexed female Australian Black swan. I simply wanted my swan, Barry, to have a mate. He just seemed lonesome and sad since I got him a year after losing his mate. I couldn't locate a female of the same breed and appropriate age for him. I just want them to be happy, period.
However, as spring and breeding time comes closer I want to be prepared if they decide to try to raise a family. The odds of them producing is less than good but they can mate and they can hatch out cygnets. The cygnets will be infertile hybrids and photo's I've found were all charcoal grey in color or blackish grey with white mottling. I got the female, whom I named Matilda, in the summer and I believe they are bonded. The cygnets will have to be pinioned (I have to find a vet here that does it) but DNA sexing won't be needed since they're infertile hybrids and males to males and females to females won't matter. I'd sell them in pairs, they would be sort of like neutered and spayed pets, perfectly pretty pond swans with no concerns with raising babies.
The set up is simple. We have a large pond just off the back yard. They have totally free range of the area and we're in the center of our 40 acres. There are no trees or bushes close to the pond other than below the back side, the steep side of the bank, where there are trees, brush and the creek.
On the shallow side, towards the house, there is only open grass and a large clump of tall bamboo. I don't want her to build a nest on the brushy side because of predators and it's the furthest from the house. How can I prepare a site that she would prefer? and what do they build their nests with? I see photo's of breeders swans inside barns with covered nests. I know there has to be some good ideas for preparing these two for the "possibility" that she will want to nest. Even if they don't hatch, I want her in a safe spot but happy and loose. They do tend to come out only on the low end of the pond by the house and even graze a bit in the yard and pasture at times.
Also, nutrition. They generally feed themselves. The pond has abundant green plants in the bottom. I do supplement with corn (chopped) and sometimes floating fish food for the protein although I've never really read up on it. I've been growing some fodder for my chickens and the thought occurred to me that wheat and barley fodder might be really great for them too, especially in the winter when there aren't a lot of greens.
I'll use this thread to post progress and hopefully for others with swans to learn from too.
However, as spring and breeding time comes closer I want to be prepared if they decide to try to raise a family. The odds of them producing is less than good but they can mate and they can hatch out cygnets. The cygnets will be infertile hybrids and photo's I've found were all charcoal grey in color or blackish grey with white mottling. I got the female, whom I named Matilda, in the summer and I believe they are bonded. The cygnets will have to be pinioned (I have to find a vet here that does it) but DNA sexing won't be needed since they're infertile hybrids and males to males and females to females won't matter. I'd sell them in pairs, they would be sort of like neutered and spayed pets, perfectly pretty pond swans with no concerns with raising babies.
The set up is simple. We have a large pond just off the back yard. They have totally free range of the area and we're in the center of our 40 acres. There are no trees or bushes close to the pond other than below the back side, the steep side of the bank, where there are trees, brush and the creek.
On the shallow side, towards the house, there is only open grass and a large clump of tall bamboo. I don't want her to build a nest on the brushy side because of predators and it's the furthest from the house. How can I prepare a site that she would prefer? and what do they build their nests with? I see photo's of breeders swans inside barns with covered nests. I know there has to be some good ideas for preparing these two for the "possibility" that she will want to nest. Even if they don't hatch, I want her in a safe spot but happy and loose. They do tend to come out only on the low end of the pond by the house and even graze a bit in the yard and pasture at times.
Also, nutrition. They generally feed themselves. The pond has abundant green plants in the bottom. I do supplement with corn (chopped) and sometimes floating fish food for the protein although I've never really read up on it. I've been growing some fodder for my chickens and the thought occurred to me that wheat and barley fodder might be really great for them too, especially in the winter when there aren't a lot of greens.
I'll use this thread to post progress and hopefully for others with swans to learn from too.
