Identifier: ourdomesticbirds00robi (find matches)
Title: Our domestic birds;
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Robinson, John H. (John Henry), 1863-1935
Subjects: Poultry Pigeons Cage birds
Publisher: Boston, New York (etc.) Ginn and company
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress

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nt to suggest that a farmer might profit-ably replace his cows with swans. The object is simply to showhow the possible profit from small specialities compares withthe usual profit from a regular feature of farming. The methods of managing swans are much like the methodsof managing wild geese in captivity. The principal differenceis that the swans must have a larger body of water, and one inwhich vegetation is abundant. They are not as fond of landgrasses as geese are, and like to float on the surface of thewater, feeding on the vegetation at the bottom. Their longnecks enable them to do this in water several feet deep. Theyneed no shelter but a small hut, which they will use only inrare emergencies. After they have settled down in a spot, thereshould be no need of building fences to restrain them. Asthey are not able to fly, they will remain quite near their homeunless food supplies there are very short. In that case extra foodshould be given them. Even when natural food is abundant,
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227 228 OUR DOMESTIC BIRDS it is a good plan to feed swans a little of something else occa-sionally, to attach them to the person who has charge of them.As every one knows who has seen the swans in parks, wherevisitors amuse themselves by feeding them, swans are very fondof bread. They will eat grain also, although, when not accus-tomed to it, they may at first refuse it. Their food is usually giveneither by throwing it on the water or by placing it in troughsfrom which the birds can eat while floating upon the water.

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