Where to buy swans at a reasonable price?

[Lovegeese]

I have been doing a lot of research concerning swans. I have the room but don’t want to pay $2500 for a pair! Can anyone help me with this? I live in northern Indiana. Thanks!

 

[ChickenCanoe]

Are you looking for a breeding pair or just some birds for eye candy?
Depending on the species and age, you can find them anywhere from $500 per bird to $3500 per pair.
https://www.birdsnow.com/swan.htm
Have you checked that it is legal to own them in Indiana? They're considered exotics in most states and in some considered invasive and are banned. If people own them and don't have them pinioned, they'll migrate. When they breed, if they are on a large body of water, one needs to have a plan on how to catch and pinion the cygnets prior to them reaching a week of age. Catching cygnets a few days old can be daunting because the parents will protect them aggressively. Swans have drown humans.
If not pinioned, they fly and they become a nuisance competing with native waterfowl.
http://www.state.in.us/dnr/6279.htm?profile=dnr&query=swans&collection=agencies1
Pinioning permanently grounds the birds.

The high prices are totally understandable. Depending on species, they may not start breeding till they are 3-7 years of age. They usually breed for about 10 years. Species dependent, a clutch could consist from 3 to 10 eggs. That's not a lot of productivity.

 

[josebeth1]

I have a 3 year old female that I would like to rehome and am in NE Ohio. Because of everything that ChickenCanoe said, I am looking for a home for her where she will have another female companion but will NOT be bred. It absolutely kills me, but I will not allow any more of her parents' eggs to hatch. Because of irresponsible owners who just let them breed and let the offspring just fly off, our dept of Fish/Wildlife now kills swans that are out on public waterways, obviously not belonging to anyone. They are encroaching on the breeding/feeding grounds of the Trumpeter swans who are native and are protected. The mutes are considered to be an invasive species.
I want $800 firm for her (have invested far more than that into her at this point) and will be very fussy about where she goes. I have a really, really hard time letting my animals go. My dad's a vet, I do rescue, and I've just seen way too much misery out there. This young lady, however, really needs her own pond where she can feel some freedom and I cannot provide that for her here with the parents on the premises.

 

[Tony K T]

You can always try good ole craigslist.You may even find some nearby.
In N.H.,Tony.

 

[Lovegeese]

Are you looking for a breeding pair or just some birds for eye candy?
Depending on the species and age, you can find them anywhere from $500 per bird to $3500 per pair.
https://www.birdsnow.com/swan.htm
Have you checked that it is legal to own them in Indiana? They're considered exotics in most states and in some considered invasive and are banned. If people own them and don't have them pinioned, they'll migrate. When they breed, if they are on a large body of water, one needs to have a plan on how to catch and pinion the cygnets prior to them reaching a week of age. Catching cygnets a few days old can be daunting because the parents will protect them aggressively. Swans have drown humans.
If not pinioned, they fly and they become a nuisance competing with native waterfowl.
http://www.state.in.us/dnr/6279.htm?profile=dnr&query=swans&collection=agencies1
Pinioning permanently grounds the birds.

The high prices are totally understandable. Depending on species, they may not start breeding till they are 3-7 years of age. They usually breed for about 10 years. Species dependent, a clutch could consist from 3 to 10 eggs. That's not a lot of productivity.

Are you looking for a breeding pair or just some birds for eye candy?
Depending on the species and age, you can find them anywhere from $500 per bird to $3500 per pair.
https://www.birdsnow.com/swan.htm
Have you checked that it is legal to own them in Indiana? They're considered exotics in most states and in some considered invasive and are banned. If people own them and don't have them pinioned, they'll migrate. When they breed, if they are on a large body of water, one needs to have a plan on how to catch and pinion the cygnets prior to them reaching a week of age. Catching cygnets a few days old can be daunting because the parents will protect them aggressively. Swans have drown humans.
If not pinioned, they fly and they become a nuisance competing with native waterfowl.
http://www.state.in.us/dnr/6279.htm?profile=dnr&query=swans&collection=agencies1
Pinioning permanently grounds the birds.

The high prices are totally understandable. Depending on species, they may not start breeding till they are 3-7 years of age. They usually breed for about 10 years. Species dependent, a clutch could consist from 3 to 10 eggs. That's not a lot of productivity.

 

[Lovegeese]

I to have “heard” of swans killing a human. All I can say is hogwash! If you have an article that states then please send it to me. The only incident I could find was in Illinois and involved Knox goose control from 10 years ago. I actually talked to the owner and got the facts. His employee did fall out of his canoe. He wasn’t wearing his life jacket, had three layers of cloths on and it was early spring! A life jacket would have saved his life: tragic as it was, it was not the swans fault. I now own 4 mutes. 2 cobs and 2 pens. they were born this last spring. And yes, they do like to hiss and bluff. I have learned it is mostly bluff. I did call indianaDNR; as you suggested. I have to keep records and any cygnets have to be pinioned(which I did 4 of them with the people I bought the swans from this past spring) pretty simple. They are nothing like my geese! Can’t wait for baby’s,

 

[bdfive]

I have a pair of pinioned Black Australian swans that are over 3 years old now. I hatched the cob, bought the pen. I've decided to give them up due to being so expensive to have a adequate pond built. Least has been $15,000 up to $50,000. I'm talking concrete with proper filtration/filters. Would have spent the 15K but didn't trust the contractor. Gracie & Gunther are presently using a 300 gallon stock tank I work my rear off keeping clean and changing water twice a week. Now huge problem with fire ants in the swan yard. You don't want to know how many pots of boiling water I've carried out there. I'm a senior so with caring for them properly on top of a flock of peafowl and ornamental pheasants, 2 dogs and 2 cats it's a lot of work. My husband pretty much fins for himself, LOL!!! Have an ad on Craigslist, $1,200 for the pair. Requesting adequate water and predator proof habitat. Also within driving distance for me to check out the new home. Hahaha, obviously I'll probably never sell them so looking for easier ways to care for them.

 

[Lovegeese]

Rsorry to hear you need to give them up unfortunately, I live in northern Indiana otherwise I would consider. I know the blacks aren’t quite so particular about their space but they do need lotsa water. I just put my four mute swans on my 3 acre pound after having them pinned up for a week to make sure they knew where home was. There are by no means “tame”. They came from being raised solely by their parents on a pond so the parents taught them how to be safe. Swans are not like ducks and geese and certainly not like chickens. My Toulouse geese and Cayuga ducks have no issue coming in at night . They are friendly but fear if left out, they wouldn’t know how to escape danger. My thoughts are if I want pets per say, then I would probable get same sex swans. But since my plans are to breed, I think I am better off leaving them as natural as I can. I will update throughout the fall. If anyone has any info that might be useful, please post!

 

[bdfive]

Lovegeese, I doubt very seriously I'll sell them being so picky about where they go. I climbed in water trough with boots on and scrubbed it out yesterday. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Still going to try to get pond built for them. Least expensive was about $15K, most $50K. I didn't trust contractor at the lower bid. Have 4 or 5 in between. You are smart getting the wild swans that have been raised by their parents. Do you think the Mute male will allow a pair of Black Australians to use the water? I've heard they're pretty aggressive toward other waterfowl. I'm on a facebook group called "Swans - A Learning Group". Join Up!

 

[Brookec86]

Did you find a home?

I have a 3 year old female that I would like to rehome and am in NE Ohio. Because of everything that ChickenCanoe said, I am looking for a home for her where she will have another female companion but will NOT be bred. It absolutely kills me, but I will not allow any more of her parents' eggs to hatch. Because of irresponsible owners who just let them breed and let the offspring just fly off, our dept of Fish/Wildlife now kills swans that are out on public waterways, obviously not belonging to anyone. They are encroaching on the breeding/feeding grounds of the Trumpeter swans who are native and are protected. The mutes are considered to be an invasive species.
I want $800 firm for her (have invested far more than that into her at this point) and will be very fussy about where she goes. I have a really, really hard time letting my animals go. My dad's a vet, I do rescue, and I've just seen way too much misery out there. This young lady, however, really needs her own pond where she can feel some freedom and I cannot provide that for her here with the parents on the premises.