So you want to be a Swan Keeper..... Part One

When we moved into our current home we inherited an English Mute swan.  You read that correctly, a swan.  The family that owned our home previously had a pair of swans, but the male and their last clutch all died unexpectedly prior to our purchasing the house.  Part of the attraction to the house, at least for my wife, was the swan.  She thought she was beautiful and how nice it was to have her outside our backyard pond.
 

We obviously never had a swan as a pet and we didn’t know what to expect in keeping a swan.  Actually, as I child the only pet I had was a goldfish. Shortly after we moved in, the swan unexpectedly died.  My wife was heartbroken that her new pet had died.

A few months went by and she started checking around to see where she could get a pair of swans.  Being a very determined woman, she found who we call the “Swan Lady” about 50 miles from our home just south of the airport in Atlanta.  I came home from a trip one week and she announced that she had found someone that sold swans and we were going to meet the “Swan Lady.” on Saturday.

Saturday came and off we went.  After going down a long winding road, in the middle of nowhere, we came up to her house.  There were animals everywhere.  Llamas, geese, ducks, various types of swans, and most every kind of parrot I had ever seen.  It was like being at a private zoo.

She and her husband obviously knew what they were doing in keeping all these animals that were in beautiful condition.  She got us, hook line and sinker.  We put a deposit down for a pair of swans and she said that she would receive them in a few months.

My wife was so excited, and all I could think of was that I would end up taking care of them.  At the time, we had a Golden Retriever (Nick), a Cocker Spaniel (Buck) and an outside cat (Roy D. Mercer) that were more than a handful to keep up with.  But, this is what she wanted, so this is what we got.  Little did I know what was about to happen to me next.

When the time came, I drove out to the Swan Lady with one of our dog crates to bring them back to our house.  When I got there, the price went up from the time we put our deposit down.  I knew I’d better pay the new price or not come home.  Now I knew how they paid for all those animals. 

Reluctantly, I followed her to the two large pens she had on the property.  Each had about a dozen swans.  She explained to me the males had a tag on the right leg and the females had a tag on the left leg.  The only way I can remember which is which is: Right Leg = Ricky or Left Leg = Lucy.  She showed me how to hold them when I caught one.  “No problem,” I thought to myself.

Now I had to go and catch mine.  If you can imagine trying to catch a greased pig, it is probably the equivalent.  I wish my wife had joined me in this swan experience so we could have videoed the adventure.  As I look back, it was pretty funny.

After getting nipped at, swung at, and spending a lot of time on the ground, I finally caught the female and put her in the crate.  Each swan weighs between 30-35 pounds and contrary to what you may have seen, they are very fast runners, and very efficient fighters.

Now it was time for the male.  He was bigger, faster and meaner than the female.  I finally lunged and caught one as I was on the ground after missing one, I was able to grab both his neck (so he wouldn’t bite me) and his large body (so he couldn’t take a swing with his wing at me). 

All this time thinking to myself, why is a guy from the suburbs of Chicago trying to catch a swan?  I must be crazy. None the less, I got him into the crate with her and off we went on our merry way back home to deposit them in our acre pond. 

Being scared, as these birds were large and not happy being in a crate, I brought them to the edge of the pond and opened the door and ran as far away as I could.  Eventually, they figured out that only one could get out at a time and they wandered into the water and their new home.

I must admit, they were beautiful as they elegantly swam around in the pond.  Now we were swan keepers.  Or more accurately I should say, I was now a swan keeper.

When I picked them up from the Swan Lady they were already pinioned (for those that are unaware, pinion means that a muscle was severed in one wing during their first week of life, before any blood vessels grew, so they were unable to fly away).  In that each is about the same cost as a pedigree dog, we were glad they couldn’t fly away.  We were amazed that they never stray far from the water, if they can’t fly.

Now, how and what do I feed them?  I was told by the Swan Lady, I could get food at any Feed Store.  What’s a Feed Store? Being from Chicago, I had never been in a feed store in my life. I saw them in old western movies, but me in a Feed Store?

Turns out over time, I was there often when I walked in they would yell out, “Hey Blue, the usual?”  In my wildest dreams I never thought I would be known at the local Feed Store.

Not knowing any better, I bought a gravity fed dog feeder for the swans so they could have their food as they needed.  After a while I found out I was feeding every living animal on our property, especially the chipmunks and squirrels.  I posted this on YouTube.              

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WTn63U6gpY    

I had to figure out a way to stop these food thieves from eating all the expensive swan food.  So I went to the local sporting goods store and asked one of the salesmen if they had anything to stop squirrels from eating all the swan’s food.

He said, “What you need is the “Equalizer” son.  Follow me and I’ll set you right up.”  I had no idea what he was talking about, so like a little puppy, I followed him to the back of the store.  Then he got behind the counter and brought out a pellet rifle. 

I quickly explained, the only time I ever shot a rifle was in the Army and I wasn’t very good.  He assured me it was no problem as he attached a scope to the rifle.  Not wanting to show my complete ignorance and stupidity, I bought it.

My wife thought I was crazy and very concerned I would either shoot myself or a neighbor’s windows.  Actually, I didn’t do either.  But let me tell you about my one and only time firing the rifle.

I figured as long as I purchased it, I better shoot it.  I positioned myself behind a tree about 50 yards from the feeder.  I loaded the rifle with pellets and I was ready. 

Soon after sitting next to the tree quietly for about ten minutes, one of those pesky squirrels started snooping around the feeder.  Here was my chance.  I had him in the crosshairs of the scope, or so I thought.  I found out later it’s a good idea to take practice shots and zero in the scope. 

I gently pulled the trigger and I bagged my first game on the very first shot.  I killed the feeder dead.  I blew it to bits actually.  I scared the squirrel and he took off.  I scared myself pretty good as well. 

To this day, that was the only shot I made with the rifle.  I think my wife may have been closer to the truth when she said I was crazy.  I thought I would quit before I actually hit something or someone.  Anyone need a pellet rifle with a scope?

Then we bought what we call the Swan Bible.  It was written by a vet in Lakeland, Florida on how to raise swans.  I bought a different kind of feeder, put it next to my dock on the water with a lock on it, and never had a problem with squirrels again.

Tune in Thursday for the rest of the story and learn more about some of the weird experiences we’ve had with these birds.

 
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