Swans!!!!!!!!!!!

[muscovy94]

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oh i wish i would have saw that!! dangit!!!

 

[muscovy94]

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Yeah I have a pond, i just thought it would be cool to hatch some of my own!! they are so C-U-T-E!!!! And when they grow up, they are so B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Guitartists]

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HA! Good luck with THAT! They are ORNERY!!!! Not to mention it's most likely not legal

 

[spectrumranch]

You would have to check with your state about regulations, but it is normally legal to keep swans. 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.

Mutes the most common type kept by private breeders. Some states regulate them while others classify them as non-native and do not regulate them. But they generally are required to be pinioned. We keep all our swans pinioned.

Generally Blacks, Blacknecks, Coscorobas do not require permits.

We usually keep- Mutes, Blacks, Whoopers, Blacknecks. But have had other species in the past. 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 still 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.

As for selling swan eggs- most people will let the swans naturally hatch them. They are harder to hatch- so if you can hatch goose eggs in an incubator with good success you may have a chance with swan eggs. Also because of the value of swans- how do you figure the price of an egg? If you figure the egg is worth half the price of a dayold cygnet (baby)- that egg would still be expensive. SO then is it worth the risk of the eggs not hatching? My opinion would be- it is money better spent on babies. But you can always run accross a deal or maybe find someone that has a pair but does not want to produce any babies.

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

 

[judyc]

Spectrumranch,

VERY pretty birds.

I've heard from a breeder in N. IN, that the black swans are not as hardy as the mutes.

What's your opinion?

 

[spectrumranch]

Mutes and Whoopers are very hardy- ours winter out on the pond with an aerator to keep it open. The Blacks are quite hardy, but we bring them into a barn for the winter, it's not heated just out of the wind. The curled feathers on the top of the back / wings tend to build up ice when out on the pond in very cold weather.

Randy www.spectrumranch.net

 

[92caddy]

Here are my swans. They havent laid any eggs. I know the female is old even to breed, not sure the age of the male. I dont have a pond, just the kiddie pools. maybe why they havent laid any eggs yet..........

 

[CatAteBird]

This is a picture of a Trumperture Swan on Lake Keystone that everyone feeds and takes care of... It is tame and I haven't caught it yet to sex it... if I can... I seen pics of what people do... I am trying to locate a mate for it.. if anyone is in the local area of OKLAHOMA

 

[marksbirds]

I worry more about the children bitting then my critters LOLOLOL

 

[Chickndaddy]

If you or anyone else is still looking for swans here is a breeder in Florida that have a lot of birds including Black Swans. There are very nice people (I bought bantam Sumatras from them).

http://home.att.net/~Myakka2/TheFarm.htm