Learn BASIC Information about Female Mute Swan Pairings.
IF you are Interested in having Two Females..
The Topic Page Links on this Page will have Information
to Help you Care for TWO Female Swans..
To Enlarge Images – Right Click Image then Open in a New Tab.
Mature Female Swans are Called Pens.
HAVING TWO SWAN Pens as a Pair.. has Pros & Cons.
Two Female Swans do NOT Need to be Related..
They can be Different Ages.. from Different Parents.
Six to 12 Month Female Cygnets will be Friends/Companions..
Pens are Graceful, Charming, more Even Tempered.
Pens are not as Showy as Cobs.
Most of the Year Pens will be Friends/Companions..
There will a Dominant and a Submissive Pen..
One will Likely Behave more like a Male Swan..
This is a Common Behavior with Same Sex Mute Swan Pairings.
Below are Two Female Swans. DNA Checked.
There is Less Risk of Pens Attacking People in Public Places.
But in Return Pens are more Often Abused by Callous People.
With Two Pens, there is NO “HORMONE” Drama in the Spring.
And No Cygnets to Deal with. Cygnets are Cute, but Work..
This is the BIG Concern – Two Pens are VERY Vulnerable during Nesting.
Without a Cob to Protect them Nest Mortality is Higher.
It will be Your Challenge to Protect them.
Two Females do Better when there is an Isolated Island for their Spring Nesting..
Remember Raccoons will Swim Out to an Island to Steal Swan EGGs.
The Pens below were Nesting on an Island – Lost MOST of their EGGs !
Or it may be Necessary to Put up a Section of Fence to Protect them.
If you put up some Protective Fencing around their Nest..
Be sure the Pens can Safely go into the Water Several Times a Day.
Pens Leave their Nest for Very Short Breaks to get a Drink and Relieve themselves.
They BARELY Eat while Nesting.
Swans DO NOT Release Body Waste into their Nest.
Or Consider a Floating Nest Platform.. An Artificial Island.
The Floating Platform Below is Anchored Out from the Bank.
## SWAN FLOATING NEST Box-Platform
https://swanlovers.net/category/swan-floating-nest-box-platform/
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Most Swan Pens Need to Nest in the Spring..
With or Without a Cob – MOST Mature Pens will Lay EGGs.
Normally a Cob Protects the EGGs until the Clutch is Complete.
I have Learned of Mature Mute Swans that do not Nest or Lay EGGs. ????
Two of the Three Pens below did NOT Lay EGGs.
Pens will Nest Together or Separately. NO Rules..
Every Spring will be Different.. The Pens Decide.. (-;
Nest Building takes One to Two Weeks..
Pens General Pull Together Cavity Nests.
You could Provide the Pens with a Pile of Twigs Arranged in a Loose Circle…
Many will Accept and Add to a Partial Gathered Nest.. Better Drainage..
Pens Like to have One Solid Surface Behind them..
A Wall, Fence, Large Tree, etc.
## Swans Gather Nest Materials
https://swanlovers.net/category/swans-gather-nest-materials/
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Heavy Rain Surrounded the Nest Below.. Note how Swampy.
Having a Base of Twigs kept the Nest Cavity and EGGs Dry.
You CAN NOT Remove the Swans’ EGGs to Prevent Cygnets ! !
Pens will Recycle and Lay another Clutch of Unfertile EGGs.
They will Keep Laying EGGs Until they have a Clutch to “Sit On”
and Deplete they Body.
Each Pen will Need to be Able to “SIT” for 42 Days..
Various Events may Prevent this..
Loss of EGGS: to Flooding, Cold ( Freezing ),
Unfertile Rotting >> Exploding EGGs ! ! !
Stolen Eggs, Harassement, Afraid of Nest Area..
You will Need to be Prepared to Minimize these Events.
Or your Pens will Likely ReCycle and Start another Clutch.
That will Extend the Female’s Risky Nesting Season.
We had One BIG Healthy Pen that Laid at Least 19 EGGs One Spring.
She Lost Two Clutches of EGGs to Flooding along a Local Creek..
She Surprised us with a THIRD Clutch of 4 EGGs..
She Hatched 3 Precious Cygnets.
First Clutch.. 8 EGGs ( I think ) Second Clutch 7 EGGs.. Both Lost to Flooding.
Below is the THIRD Clutch of 4 BIG EGGs !
This Extended her Nesting Season into Warmer and Warmer Weather.
After Weeks “Sitting” in the Heat.. her Cygnets Hatched July 14-15th.
The Pens below had to be Moved during Nesting.. ( Emergency Move. )
We did Try to MOVE their Nest Cavities and EGGs.. NOT Accepted.
They Both Recycled and Laid a Second Clutch – Nesting into Late June Heat.
The Tricky Part of TWO Females is that they WILL NOT Nest
at the Same Exact Time.
You will Need to take Careful Notes WHEN each Starts to “SIT.”
Pens MUST be Allowed to “Sit” on their Unfertile EGGs for 42 Days.
The Pens may “Choose” to Leave on their Own.. Some Do.
Normal Incubation Time for Fertile Mute Swan EGGs is 37 Days.
Once the Pens Start Incubation – “Sitting” Full-Time..
Mark the Calendar, Count ahead 42 Days..
Pens are VERY Dedicated to their EGGs and will “Sit” Tight
on EGGs that will Never Hatch.
Many Pens will Protect their EGGs with their Lives.
Pens are Sorta Aggressive-Protective during Nesting..
They will Hiss and Flog if you get TOO Close to their Nest.
This does Depend on your Level of Trust with them.
Pens DO NOT Eat more then a few Bites of Food during their Incubation Time.
Nature wants the Pens to be VERY Hungry once their Cygnets Hatch.
Then they EAT and EAT and EAT.. for 2 to 3 Weeks.
It is NOT OK to just Allow these Pens to Sit and Sit and Sit..
Some Pens will Starve to Death Waiting for their Unfertile EGGs to Hatch.
The Beautiful Pen below was Allow to “Sit” for Months.. she Died.
After 42 Days, TAKE all the EGGs Away and Discard..
Do this Carefully, SMELLY EGGs may EXPLODE !!
The Pens will likely stay with their Empty Nest for another Day..
then Leave the Nest and Start to EAT !!!
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The Average Mature Mute Pen might Weigh 22-28 Pounds.
For about Three Weeks before Pens Start to Lay their Spring EGGs..
You will Observe them EATING – EATing – Eating !
Poking into Soft Muddy Areas of Shallow Water
for the Nutrients they need for their BIG EGGs.
They are Eating Insect Larve for Protein and Calcium.
In Early Spring Pens Lay One EGG every other Day.
A Clutch of 6 EGGs takes 11 Days.
Pens DO NOT “Sit” on their Clutch until ALL EGGs are Laid.
With a Pen – Cob Pair… the Cob Protects their EGGs.
Pens are out EATING.. EGGs may be Lightly Covered.
Pens may Sit on the Nest for a Few Minutes if they think
their EGGs need to be Protected..
The Pen below was Guarding her EGGs when I went to Check them.
She had One more to Lay to Complete her Clutch of 7 EGGs.
The Pen’s Body Provides All the Calcium and Proteins for their BIG EGGs..
6 EGGs at 14 Ozs. each = 5.25 Pounds.
8 EGGs at 14 Ozs. each = 7.00 Pounds.
Pens Barely Eat during Incubation. This is Nature’s Plan !
Once the Pen starts to “Sit” Full-Time.. Incubation Begins.
Pens NEED to Sit on their Unfertile EGGs at least 42 Days.
## Timing Swan EGGs to Hatching
https://swanlovers.net/category/timing-swan-eggs-to-hatch/
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MARK the Date each Pen Starts to “Sit” Full-Time.
Once the Pens START to SIT Full-Time.
PLEASE DO NOT PLACE Food Near the Nest.. THIS Creates RISK !
This Invites Insects, Rodents, Snakes and Larger Predators.
## DO NOT PUT FOOD by a SWAN’s NEST
https://swanlovers.net/category/do-not-put-food-by-a-swans-nest/
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All the Above may Contribute to Nest Mortality..
I have TOO Many Notes of Swans that have been Killed
by Large Roaming Canines. Especially Coyote-Coywolves.
Do a Search to Learn more about the Coywolf vs Coyote.
http://www.easterncoyoteresearch.com/coywolfgallery/
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You need to Note when each Pen Starts to “Sit” Full-Time.
The Two Pens will not Lay their EGGs at Exactly the Same Time..
Often this is Staggered over a Two to Three Week Period..
This makes Timing the EGGs in ONE Nest more Challenging.
Depending on how Warm-Hot the Weather is..
many of the Unfertile EGGs will Start to Rot..
Some will Explode. They SMELL Terrible, Attract Flies..
It is Time for you to Know your Options during Nesting..
They will Nest.. EGGs will Not be Fertile.. NO Cygnet.
It is a Good Idea to Plan to use Replacement EGGs..
Because Unfertile EGGs will Start to Rot at about Week Two…
we Swap-Out the EGGs so our Female is NOT Sitting on Stinky EGGs.
## SWAN REPLACEMENT EGGs
https://swanlovers.net/category/swan-replacement-eggs/
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I have Listed THREE Sources of Wooden EGGs..
Doing a Search onLine you may Locate Others..
With Two Nesting Females
I Suggest making at Least 6-8 EGGs.. Using 3 at a Time.
Some EGGs may be Stolen.. so Extras are GOOD to have.
Wooden Replacement EGGs – do not Smell like EGGs
and are Less Attractive to Predators.. AND NO FLIES.. !!!!
IF you have ANY QUESTIONs – Let me know..
We do this with our Swans.. Replacement EGGs.
Some Pens will Leave the Nest on their Own..
They seem to Know that their EGGs will Not Hatch.
Or the SMELL may be Too Much..
Above we went on Day 42 to Encourage “Brooke” to Leave her Nest.
She was Out on the Pond. She Left the UnHatched EGGs on her Own.
Every Year has been Different.
Most Years we have had to Remove her EGGs.
## When SWAN EGGs Do NOT Hatch
https://swanlovers.net/category/when-swan-eggs-do-not-hatch/
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A few Mute Juvenile Maidens will Nest the Spring they are 22-24 Months.
EGGs Maybe..Possible, Low Occurrence..
Check for EGGs if you see a Maiden “Sitting” in One Spot
on a Pile of Gathered Sticks or a Pile of Dried Leaves..
90+% of Pens will Nest by the Age of 32-36 Months.
There are a Few that Never Nest.. No Idea Why.. ??
I have tried to Learn Why.. but, have not Found any Information.
Nesting is when Females are VERY Vulnerable to Predators
and Curious People who WANT to get Close to their Nest.
Place SIGNS to Alert others to give the Nesting Swans a Safe Space..
Curious Folks can Safely Watch with Binoculars..
When Nesting Season is Finished Pens are Very Gentle and Easy-Going.
Female Swans are ALWAYs in Short Supply..
Take GOOD Care of Yours.
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If One Pen Dies.. the Remaining Pen will Accept
another Female of any Age.. Or a Male..
It is Wise to Wait for about Three Weeks before Introducing a New Swan.
The Remaining Pen Needs Time to Accept her Companion is Gone.
The Resident Pen may NOT be Thrilled at First with another Female..
Preferring a Male.. There may be some Adjustment Period.
Females new to Each other will Work-out their Pecking Order..
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Two Female Swans.. or Three or Four..
Multiple Pens will do Ok Together.. If you have a Large
Body of Water to Support more then Two Female Swans..
We had One Situation where we Placed Four Young Females.
They were Very Cute Together..
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Unfortunately, One was Grazing on the Lawn in their Fenced Area
and a Predator, likely a Raccoon went over the Fence and Killed her. VERY Sad..
And, We know another Pond where there are Three Females
that had been together over 10 Years..
These Pens put ALL their Spring EGGs in One BIG Nest..
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Over the Years, we have had THREE DNA Determined Females..
RE-CHECKED to be Sure.. that Never Lay any EGGs..
With Time and Conversations with other Swans Folks..
I have Learned of other Female Mutes that do not Lay EGGs.
Apparently, this does Occur.. According to an Avian Pathology Specialist.
So… We Arranged for Two of the Barren Pens to Live Together. (-;
Same Sex Pairings – Males and Females may “Mate” with Each Other..
They are Releasing their Sexual Tension. This is Common.
I Hope I have NOT Forgotten Anything Important..
ASK Questions.. Feel Good about your Decision..
The Cygnets Above Matured into the Two Pens Below.
” The Wonderful World of Swans “… Is NEVER Boring..
And You will Never Stop Learning about them.. (-;
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Notes Organized from our Visits with Various Mute Swan Pens..
Several of the Nesting Swan Images were from Male/Female Pairs.
I Used these Images as Examples to Show a Pen’s Nesting Behavior.
As With MANY General Swan Facts.. There are NO 100% Rules.
PA SwanLover Linda – UpDates February 2024
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Memories of Many Sweet Mute Swan Pens.
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We Rescued these Young Females – They were VERY ILL.. Weeks of Treatments.
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These Young Cuties are a Different Pair of Female Cygnets.
Mature Pens who Grace the Waterway of a Semi-Public Park.
This Mature Pair of Pens live on a Complex of Multiple Ponds. Lovely Place.
This was a Fun Pairing.. They are Sisters that Hatched a Year Apart.
It Only took a Few Minutes for these Young Females to Accept Each Other.
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I am Sad that Covid has Put a Stop to our Visit to Swan Ponds..
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Moments in Time to Remember.
