Unfortunately, the cygnets will need to swim to increase their leg strength. The water feature needs to have a zero entrance so that their legs and feet cannot be injured or traumatized which will cause splayed tendons.

If you do not have a zero entrance water feature, you will need to constantly pick-up the cygnets. An inappropriate handling of the swans can cause splayed tendons. Therefore, you need to check with a veterinarian to ensure that the proper handling of the cygnets is conducted at all times.

Furthermore, swans raised by humans do not do that well. Cygnets really need the parents to teach them how to be swans and how to protect themselves from predators. Cygnets raised by humans can become imprinted, meaning that they begin to think that they are people and cannot be assimilated into ponds or lakes without constant supervision.

Cygnets should be fed a 50-50 mixture of cracked corn and poultry layer pellets. Lettuce should be given regularly to supplement their aquatic vegetation needs. Again, we would strongly suggest that the parents somehow be involved with the raising of the cygnets to insure that they grow up to handle the stresses of being a swan. The Regal Swan