The probability that you will successfully incubate the eggs to hatching are extremely slim. In all probability, you will get very rotten eggs which will explode and cause a major mess and smell. Most professional breeders of swans have professional incubators that continuously and consistently control humidity, rotation, and temperature.

Even if you rotate them, the eggs must be rotated 1/4 turn approximately every 3-4 hours, and you cannot insure that the rotation you are conducting is the same that would be conducted by the mother swan. The slightest misjudgement or over rotation can cause the egg membrane to separate from the egg and cause an instant death to the embryo.

The next problem is how you are going to raise the cygnets. In Florida, the cygnets must be pinioned (flight portion of the wing amputated so that the birds cannot fly and start a feral population). This procedure must be conducted by a knowledgeable veterinarian while the cygnets are 1-3 weeks of age. You must also apply to the State Fish & Game Commission to have a permit to possess, maintain and breed the birds as they are considered a feral(exotic) species in Florida.

How were the eggs obtained? Were these abandoned eggs? If so, they are in all probability no good as the mother abandoned them and she knows what is fertile and what is a dud. If the eggs were taken from the nest with the intent of incubating by humans, this not only will possibly cause the death to the eggs, but also will cause the female swan to double clutch, meaning she will try to lay more eggs.

A female swan has so many eggs that she normally lays and she can count. Double clutching is not a good thing for the mother swan and she can even die from the energy expended in constantly laying eggs. Females lose approximately 30% of their weight laying eggs and sitting on nests. In addition, if the female swan becomes egg impacted, she can quickly die if the symptoms are not recognized in time and a knowledgeable veterinarian familiar with swans (which most veterinarians have little expertise), is available.

Cygnets not raised by the parents do not become viable swans to release onto ponds and lakes because they have not been taught about predators.

In Florida, alligators, coyotes, raccoons, foxes, panthers, humans and just about every other predator will end their lives very quickly because the young birds do not have the capacity to understand fear once they are hand raised by humans.

Furthermore, because the swans are not fearful of humans, they become imprinted which means that they think they are humans instead of birds. Even though you cannot domesticate a swan like a goose or a duck, imprinting is a major issue in that the swans will not understand normal swan behavior and will expect to be fed, sheltered and care for consistently by humans. The Regal Swan