You have introduced them to the concept of hay. First, they are pulling at the hay and playing with it, so they won't be afraid of it during nesting season. They are young birds and don't have any clue what it is for at this time and they certainly do not like you to be building the nest for them. So, the introduction was successful. At least, they did not run from the hay.

Now, try to place a small amount of food in a food tray on the platform and see how they react. If they stay on the platform or keep going back to it in search of the food, then once again, the idea is implanted that this is the place to be for food, safety and rest. Nesting will come about only if their internal need for migration is not great. If you have such terrible winters and the birds know to leave, they may leave only because of the inclement weather that they may not be able to tolerate. Please let us know how this progresses during the nesting season. If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us. Good luck. The Regal Swan