ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FEEDING SWANS
Well, a lot anyway.
The hungriest times for swans are: in winter; during the six to seven week moult between June and A...ugust when they cannot fly; before laying eggs in May and after hatching as females do not eat much while sitting; all the time when natural food is scarce.
Well, a lot anyway.
The hungriest times for swans are: in winter; during the six to seven week moult between June and A...ugust when they cannot fly; before laying eggs in May and after hatching as females do not eat much while sitting; all the time when natural food is scarce.
SWANS' NATURAL FOOD IS WATER PLANTS. If there are few ater plants, as in many big rivers and canals, they are glad of extra help.
.
NATURAL FOODS YOU CAN GIVE. Delight them with dandelion leaves, unsprayed grass cuttings (not long), cress, lettuce leaves (soft green round lettuce best). FOR YOUNG CYGNETS cut these into very small pieces. For the first ten days or so cut a few pellets in half to supplement greens.
IN WORCESTER, the Project's small handy bags of floating pellets (£1.50) can be found at Brown's, Café Severn, the Cathedral gift shop, Café Afloat and Jandco Chandlers (both at Diglis Basin), Birch Hill Dog Rescue in the Reindeer Centre and The Pump House Environment Centre by Gheluvelt Park . The project can supply 15kg sacks from its bulk purchase of pellets (£16.50) by arrangement with admin. ELSEWHERE, look online (our pellets are from Ark Wildlife) or try your local pet shop. The pellets are good for ducks, coots and moorhens too.
MIXED CORN (from country stores, £5 to £7 a sack) is better than bread. Use only in shallow water (up to 90cm) where the swans can reach it. The only place on the Severn in Worcester is the first underwater step of the University boathouse steps. Canals are too deep. However, swans will eat mixed corn from a shallow water-filled bowl, floating on the water and attached to string so it doesn't float away. Probably best not to leave it in place between feeds.
BREAD isn't best but better than nothing when there are insufficient better options. Seeded bread has useful oils.
* Put food in the water so swans can drink with it and be safer from dogs.
* Do not feed if they are not hungry.
* Do not leave food lying around to go off or look a mess.
* NEVER, EVER FEED MOULDY OR ROTTEN FOOD It can lead to fatal lung disease or poisoning.
.
NATURAL FOODS YOU CAN GIVE. Delight them with dandelion leaves, unsprayed grass cuttings (not long), cress, lettuce leaves (soft green round lettuce best). FOR YOUNG CYGNETS cut these into very small pieces. For the first ten days or so cut a few pellets in half to supplement greens.
IN WORCESTER, the Project's small handy bags of floating pellets (£1.50) can be found at Brown's, Café Severn, the Cathedral gift shop, Café Afloat and Jandco Chandlers (both at Diglis Basin), Birch Hill Dog Rescue in the Reindeer Centre and The Pump House Environment Centre by Gheluvelt Park . The project can supply 15kg sacks from its bulk purchase of pellets (£16.50) by arrangement with admin. ELSEWHERE, look online (our pellets are from Ark Wildlife) or try your local pet shop. The pellets are good for ducks, coots and moorhens too.
MIXED CORN (from country stores, £5 to £7 a sack) is better than bread. Use only in shallow water (up to 90cm) where the swans can reach it. The only place on the Severn in Worcester is the first underwater step of the University boathouse steps. Canals are too deep. However, swans will eat mixed corn from a shallow water-filled bowl, floating on the water and attached to string so it doesn't float away. Probably best not to leave it in place between feeds.
BREAD isn't best but better than nothing when there are insufficient better options. Seeded bread has useful oils.
* Put food in the water so swans can drink with it and be safer from dogs.
* Do not feed if they are not hungry.
* Do not leave food lying around to go off or look a mess.
* NEVER, EVER FEED MOULDY OR ROTTEN FOOD It can lead to fatal lung disease or poisoning.
