What do you feed swans?

[ditchcrawler]

It almost 9 30, dark and we are moored at Sutton Stop, every time we go into the galley the dam swan bashes hell out of the clear sheet in the side hatch. Just don't feed them. I had one grab my leg on the Stratford Canal.

[Neil TNC]

Side hatches, a male swan and a Jack Russel terrier don't mix well....a lethal cocktail if ever there was one....

 

Yes...we have been there, especially if swan is stupid enough to stick head through galley side hatch.

The big old cob that used to frequent Brentford Basin was a good match.

At 11, our little JR Lottie has recently become more bad tempered, sign of old age I suppose.

 

One of my favourite games with swans is to throw food on their back, between their wings. If they miss that bit and others are about, it often causes a swan rumpus!

[Sunset Rising]

It almost 9 30, dark and we are moored at Sutton Stop, every time we go into the galley the dam swan bashes hell out of the clear sheet in the side hatch. Just don't feed them. I had one grab my leg on the Stratford Canal.

 

Twice ? or both legs at once ?

 

 

Do they sing for their supper ?

(swan song)

[Tiny]

Young swans, once ejected by parents form groups to live safely until they reach breeding age when they pair up and want a territory. You can get rather a lot of young ones together. These should not be confused with the groups you get in places like Worcester where a lot of people feed the swans so this attracts a lot of swans.

 

Swans and ducks can be a pain banging on your boat and some swans get really nasty about it but remember you are bigger than them and the swan will do more damage to itself than to you if it tried to break your leg with a swing of its wing. We tend to hide if we get anti swans but one little noise and the bs will be outside just where you are. When we have some on board we give family groups some stale puffed wheat. This stuff floats and most swans (once they try it) will slurp it down. Of course the odd one (often the hen) wants bread or nothing in which case dad and the kids get fed until mum gets really up tight and leads the kids (and an often reluctant dad) away. Often when the swans are slurping the puffed wheat the fish start eating too.

[Chickadee]

Swans aren't really that bad are they!? We go to Slimbridge all the time (thanks to the parents for year membership for christmas) where i've never seen so many swans in one place. Yes they nip given half a chance but its not that bad. Obviously you need to be careful with little ones about but that goes for all wild animals.

We feed them old seeded loafs from the boat but I think the key is never to feed them at the same time or every day. I probably feed them maybe once every two weeks and usually on different days so they are never expecting anything. If i go to sit out the front of the boat they come and see if i've got anything for them but will soon be on there way if i haven't.

 

One thing you will encourage if you feed them on the bank is rats. Obviously they are always around but if your feeding in the same spot they will get used to the regular meals too.

[Strads]

we have tried feeding them sage and thyne with bread, plus onions and oranges as they are a large bird they can take a combination of stuffings, still best to give them 20 min a Lb and 30 mins over oh and rest for @ 30-40 mins before carving...

[Picard]

we have tried feeding them sage and thyne with bread, plus onions and oranges as they are a large bird they can take a combination of stuffings, still best to give them 20 min a Lb and 30 mins over oh and rest for @ 30-40 mins before carving...

Still taste like chicken, same as Eagle.

[carlt]

Still taste like chicken, same as Eagle.

Actually Swan tastes a lot like Ostrich.

[Strads]

didnt really like ostritch that much,, bit like crocodile and snake,,, grey and chewy

 

bit like rubbish chicken then !

[Wiggins]

Around here, we have big signs saying DO NOT FEED BREAD TO DUCKS, which are handily placed for people to lean against as they toss bread into the water. I know (& am not quite prepared to admit being related to) someone who is currently collecting snails from the garden into a bag & taking them down to the ducks at the local creek...

[Strads]

Wiggins - Thats a waste, merely add 4 oz butter 6 cloves crushed garlic twist of black pepper and warm until butter bubbles @ 5 mins, serve with granary bread (for dipping!)

[ymu]

Wiggins - Thats a waste, merely add 4 oz butter 6 cloves crushed garlic twist of black pepper and warm until butter bubbles @ 5 mins, serve with granary bread (for dipping!)

Nooooo! You need to purge them first. The French starve them for a few days, and then supply them with herbs and garlic to gorge on before cooking.

 

I have a problem with food textures though, so I have only ever eaten one, and only then because my housemate was a French chef who cooked a lot for us and I didn't want to discourage him. I did draw the line at the maggoty goats cheese though.

[carlt]

didnt really like ostritch that much,, bit like crocodile and snake,,, grey and chewy

 

bit like rubbish chicken then !

Crocodile is vaguely chicken like (not tried snake, yet) Ostrich is more like beef, nice red meat, tender and loads less fat.

[Mat B]

21 swans in one area? Wow. I don't think I've ever seen more than one breeding pair at a time. That would be pretty scary. I've only ever seen ducks in those numbers.

 

There are 40-odd here: Google Maps Link, the smaller dots are gulls.

 

m@