Raising swans

[yoker]

What are the basics of raising swans?

 

[spectrumranch]

That would depend on what type you are interested in.

I recently posted some photos of our swans on the website: http://www.spectrumranch.net/catalog/thumbnails.php?album=120


Randy www.spectrumranch.net & www.sosranch.net

Heritage Auction dates Feb 26-28, 2009 see websites for details
Antiques- FEB 26 & 27
Firearms FEB 26
Animals Feb 28

 

[yoker]

Mute swans look cool.
Boy you have a lot of animals.

 

[spectrumranch]

Mutes are the most common, and in my opinion, one of best to start with. They are the classic swan that most people think of.

You would have to check with your state about regulations. Each state will have different requirements. Any native species- Trumpeters, Whistlers, etc would be covered under the Federal Waterfowl permit inorder to sell. Some states will require and additional endangered permit for Trumpeters.

Generally Blacks, Blacknecks, Coscorobas do not require permits.

Great if you have a pond or lake for them. But they can be raised in a pen with a rubber liner or cement pool. The key to success is being able to keep the water clean. With a pool that you can run water into that has a drain-- it is easy to keep clean.

Once swans are a few months old they are quite hardy. Our Mutes and Whoopers stay out on there ponds year round, as they have aerators to keep them open. Our others are moved into a barn for the winter once it gets really cold. It is not heated- just out of the wind- some pens have a small pool inside while a few only have a water dish.

We feed ours, shelled corn and duck grower pellets.

Randy

 

[yoker]

Thanks!

 

[lilchick]

I did not realize that swans live in the wild! Two weeks ago I was driving along Wabash River and saw a huge flock of Canadian geese out in corn field river bottoms... Saw 2 white ones out there! Slowed down to look closer and realized they were swans....
It had gotten super cold here and geese were still migrating down from Michigan/Wisconsin and stopping along the way. In the last few years we have had the geese stay all winter here in Indiana as long as they found open water.....
I would love to have swans......

 

[bdfive]

Spectrumranch, Not sure if I agree with Mute swans being the best choice to raise for beginners. I've read the males are extremely aggressive and larger then the Black Australian. I have a pair of Black Aussie's. Gunther has become aggressive with everyone but myself now that he is trying to breed with Gracie. He attacked my husband and put a hurt on him, LOL!!! Bob told me point blank "You do not want to get hit by those wings". Took a couple days before the pain subsided and he had an impressive bruise.

I was leery about raising them when I hatched 9 out of 11 eggs for a ranch but have learned it's doable in a back yard setting. They have a Safe house and run predators can't penetrate to stay in nights and a yard with large kiddie pool for day use. I just bought a 300 gallon trough 20" deep but can see it's going to be a lot more difficult to manage then the kiddie pool that is only a foot high and probably holds something less then a hundred gallons. I'm concerned with Gracie getting squished by Gunther when he tries to breed her in the water. She screams and wiggles out from beneath him. Don't want her to get hurt. Also concerned seeing him hold her head below water a couple times. Can a male drown a female?

 

[David Josiah]

Does anybody sale black mute swans in Tn