Incubating Swan Eggs

[bdfive]

My experience turned out well. I hatched 9 out of 11 swan eggs, 3 Mute and 6 Black Australian. I kept a pair. Gunther is now 4 months old, Gracie, 2 months old. The 3 Mute and 2 Blacks went to the egg owners and I sold a pair of Blacks to a friend at 1 month old. All the cygnets are growing and doing well.

 

[com7fy8]

 

[bdfive]

_____________________________________________________________________ An absolutely blissful life for your swans and their cygnets. Wish I had a big pond/lake.

 

[com7fy8]

_____________________________________________________________________

An absolutely blissful life for your swans and their cygnets. Wish I had a big pond/lake.

We have wild swans, here; and these are free, I'm pretty sure, using a series of drainage water cleaning ponds.



This one is flying toward geese, in order to keep them out.

 

[bdfive]

We have wild swans, here; and these are free, I'm pretty sure, using a series of drainage water cleaning ponds. This one is flying toward geese, in order to keep them out.

__________________ Are there always some there? How amazing to be in an area with water source to draw them for your enjoyment. Do you feel they are reletively safe? Will the cygnets have the opportunity to grow up without being eaten by predators? My peafowl are fairly safe either in the aviary or high up in old growth Live Oak trees nights but have lost 4 in 8 years regardless. Keeping Gunther and Gracie safe on the ground is going to take a fort. Still haven't completely figured out what we're going to build. I've been happy to read Black Australian Swans are the smaller of the species but wonder if it wouldn't be better if they were larger and more intimidating to predators.

 

[com7fy8]

__________________

Are there always some there? How amazing to be in an area with water source to draw them for your enjoyment. Do you feel they are reletively safe? Will the cygnets have the opportunity to grow up without being eaten by predators? My peafowl are fairly safe either in the aviary or high up in old growth Live Oak trees nights but have lost 4 in 8 years regardless. Keeping Gunther and Gracie safe on the ground is going to take a fort. Still haven't completely figured out what we're going to build. I've been happy to read Black Australian Swans are the smaller of the species but wonder if it wouldn't be better if they were larger and more intimidating to predators.

I don't know if this is their first year or not.

And the two adults have stayed alive, for a while. And their nest is on a sort of an island >





Along one shore line, I saw the remains of a dead bird, not a swan. I do not know if a swan killed it. I read that they kill birds; so certain predators could be in danger, themselves. I heard an osprey was hovering over the ponds. But possibly it was checking for fish.

This one passed by >



I did not see it before the cygnets were there. It could be a coincidence or this rather smaller bird could be checking for a dead cygnet to scavenge . . . if a baby died because of non predatory reasons . . . I consider.

Also, we have a ducky family with smaller babies which seagulls or others might try to get >



She had seven babies, too. We can keep count and see.

But this neighbor seems interested in only veggies >

I suppose there is a way you could set up some sort of a "trap" which ambushes predators if they come near your birds. I don't mean what would hurt them, but some way to trick them into thinking your birds are bait to be avoided. I wonder if you could scent mark them or the surrounding borders.

 

[bdfive]

I don't know if this is their first year or not. And the two adults have stayed alive, for a while. And their nest is on a sort of an island > Along one shore line, I saw the remains of a dead bird, not a swan. I do not know if a swan killed it. I read that they kill birds; so certain predators could be in danger, themselves. I heard an osprey was hovering over the ponds. But possibly it was checking for fish. This one passed by > I did not see it before the cygnets were there. It could be a coincidence or this rather smaller bird could be checking for a dead cygnet to scavenge . . . if a baby died because of non predatory reasons . . . I consider. Also, we have a ducky family with smaller babies which seagulls or others might try to get > She had seven babies, too. We can keep count and see. But this neighbor seems interested in only veggies > I suppose there is a way you could set up some sort of a "trap" which ambushes predators if they come near your birds. I don't mean what would hurt them, but some way to trick them into thinking your birds are bait to be avoided. I wonder if you could scent mark them or the surrounding borders.

________________________________________________ What is that in the water in your last photo? Love all the pictures you've posted. I don't have a problem with dispatching predators. I've had 4 beautiful peafowl killed by them in the past 7 years. When I have to choose between a predator and the precious life of my animals the predators come out on the short end of the stick every time. I wonder if the swans would kill a peafowl if it flew into their habitat. Fact peafowl can fly well means most likely they'd escape but now thinking I'll put a roost for them to get up on if attacked by one of the swans. I've decided a good size fenced garden I've not planted in for a few years is going to be converted for Gracie and Gunther. Lot's of work to make it safe but less work then other locations we've considered.

 

[com7fy8]

The last photo, above, is a muskrat.

The other day, I used my camera to do a film of the family feeding. Here are some shots from the film >

 

[CAHospital]

Hello...i read your post and have a few questions. The success you had with the cygnets, did you hatch them in an incubator? If so, which one? I am going to attempt to hatch swans in an incubator but i see where most have had little success and i am trying to learn as much as possible before i start.

Thanks for your help,

Arthur

 

[Kristen E]

Where did you get swan eggs? I would love to give this a go- any info is greatly appreciated!!!