As long as you are feeding them the poultry layer pellet and cracked corn mix, you only need to provide them a head of lettuce once or twice a day. This should be ample in that they are getting most of their nutrition from the pellets and cracked corn. The pellets provide micronutrients such as minerals, vitamins and other nutritional requirements. The cracked corn acts as a filler while also providing Vitamin A, a much needed vitamin which can cause neurological problems if not included in a swan's diet. The lettuce is a treat that serves the purpose of providing them some vegetation to their diet which as grazing animals they usually get from the pond and surrounding habitat.

If you look at a previous post on this site by Bob Knox, Knox Swans and Dogs, Bob offers some great ideas to shelter swans from severe cold weather. Bob uses certain vegetation and islands to block wind and provide the swans a safe area to shield the birds from predators.

If you have sufficient warning that there is going to be an extended period of extreme cold and wind (2-3 or more days under 40 degrees Fahrenheit or winds of more than 40 miles an hour, we would strongly advise to place the swans indoors inside a garage, shed, barn or other structure which is entirely enclosed so that predators cannot access the building and provide the birds warmth, dryness and shelter. These are young birds and they have never been subjected to a winter so you do not want to be subjected to extreme cold to prevent illnesses from the inability to stay warm and dry. If you can let them outdoors during the daytime and bring them in at night, this is even better as they will be protected from predators which are extremely active at night, especially during the winter months. The young birds may not stay in the water at night and attempt to sleep on the bank which makes them easy prey to predators.

Straw can be used in a barn or sheets in a garage (as long as there are no gas fumes, chemicals, etc.). Sheets can be layered on the floor with a bowl of water and food provided in a garage, utility room or other such structure if a free-standing structure such as a barn or shed is not available.

The major concerns for bringing the swans indoors are to provide them with a daily change of bedding (sheets) or mucking of straw, prevention of pests on the inside and outside of the building (rats and ants), protection from predators and plenty of clean water in a bowl near the food mixture bowl. Swans must have water to prevent choking while eating. You also want to insure that the flooring is slip resistant and flat not rocky to prevent leg or foot injuries. Straw or sheets make wonderful bedding material depending upon the indoor structure. DO NOT use plastic flooring, gravel, newspapers, etc., as the swans can sustain slip and slide injuries to the legs and feet which are extremely dangerous injuries for waterfowl.

Swans can be kept indoors without water for bathing for weeks at a time as long as there is adequate water, food and clean bedding materials. We hope this information is of benefit. The Regal Swan