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Original poster

Is there such a thing as gentle, non-toxic swan repellent?

20 replies

wilbur · 11/02/2009 09:47

I have a swan issue. A family of five beautiful swans (Flanders, Vesta and their cygnets Bobby, JR and Cliff) have taken to sleeping near the deck of our holiday house which we rent out. The deck is quite large and then you step off it onto some grass and then a few feet away is the lake where they spend most of their time. I have no problem with the swans being there, but they have now taken to coming onto the deck and pooing all over it. I don't mind the poo on the grass as we can clear it up every now and then and it's fine, but on the deck it's a pain and gets in the crevices and so on. Does anyone know if there is anything I can put on the deck that will not hurt them, but would persuade them to stay on the grass?

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 11/02/2009 10:06

some ace things here

this suggests that at least your swans will be keeping off the Canada geese...

love their names

AitchTwoOh · 11/02/2009 10:08

lol, only on MN.

i have a problem with my gold cutlery, how do i get it shiny?

MrsBadger · 11/02/2009 10:14

looking at this and this suggest that somehow egg and mint are good at making areas unattractive for both geese and deer...

MrsBadger · 11/02/2009 10:19

aha

it is rotten eggs

apparently the smell of decaying protein makes them think there is a predator living nearby
eg a foxes' den with old meat hanging around it

AitchTwoOh · 11/02/2009 10:25

mmmmm, nice for a holiday, that.

Original poster
wilbur · 11/02/2009 10:46

ROFL, Mrsbadger - now I really want a 3-D coyote model for my deck! Mint is an interesting idea, I could plant some in pots.

Aitch - I did think about emailing the Queen and telling her to come and move her swans so maybe she could help with the gold cutlery thing at the same time.

I have to be careful what I do as the house is in a nature reserve so I can't use anything that would disturb other wildlife. Have put a couple of pics of the swans on my profile. They are very beautiful.

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Original poster
wilbur · 11/02/2009 11:08

Interesting. Have just been reading up and it says they reuse their nest every year. I'm pretty sure they didn't nest on our bit of lakeside, so maybe when their cygnets are grown, they will head somewhere else to have the next batch.

OP posts:
GentleOtter · 11/02/2009 11:15

Put up a gate.

Original poster
wilbur · 11/02/2009 11:16

Sadly I can't put up a physical barrier as the deck is all open to the grass area and not allowed to be enclosed. Maybe I could see if they would plant some more stuff at the lake edge so that swans have to go elsewhere to get out.

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ABetaDad · 11/02/2009 11:26

Maybe you should just buy a cheap electric powered pressure washer at B&Q and just give your decking a good blasting down when you get to your holiday home.

It would only take a few minutes and of course would do no harm to the swans.

Do not put rotten meat near the deck as someone else suggested. It will attract rats from the lake. Rats love living under decking and if you put rotting protein there it wil attract and feed rats and the swans will be the least of your problems. Indeed the rats wil probably drive the swans away.

Just be careful with swans - they can be extremely dangerous with cygnets. If you have kids or pet dogs with you they can be attacked. A fully grown swan can break an arm or leg with its wing.

Original poster
wilbur · 11/02/2009 11:30

Yes, we are being very careful as I know how aggressive the swans can be. I saw "our" swans seeing off another swan who had come too close to the cygnets and it was quite scary. We do have a pressure washer and I am going to take it down at the weekend, I was just hoping to find something that would avoid me having to do that every morning as when i was there last week they came onto the deck every night and that's a lot of swan poo! Still, it may have been because it was so cold and the deck is partially sheltered.

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TheBFG · 11/02/2009 11:32

Do be careful as swans are protected and so moving or disturbing them in any way is illegal.

It may be worth consulting with a wildlife charity to see if they cann suggest something. Don't put any wrotting meat down though as it will attract rats.

Original poster
wilbur · 11/02/2009 11:36

BFG - I have called the Nature Ranger at the reserve and am waiting for them to get back to me before I do anything at all as I know (from a pigeon incident at my old flat) how careful you have to be about affecting wild birds in any way. I don't want them to leave, I just want to discourage them from actually coming onto the deck - for hygiene reasons and also because I want to feel happy with the children playing out there.

OP posts:
MrsBadger · 11/02/2009 11:45

NB I never suggested leaving rotting meat out there

I only suggested that the rotting protein thing is how 'Goose Stop' and similar commercial egg-based wildlife repellents work

AitchTwoOh · 11/02/2009 20:14

you did, you did. the one who smelt it dealt it. or something. [childish]

Original poster
wilbur · 12/02/2009 13:43

Arf. No, I'm not planning to leave any rotting meat out (although there could well be something lurking in the fridge that would do the trick). Am going to place some strategic plant pots on the edge of the deck and see if that deters them a little.

OP posts:
AitchTwoOh · 12/02/2009 14:20

yes, some six foot plant pots in the shape of a fence.

Original poster
wilbur · 12/02/2009 14:36

Rofl - fences not allowed, it's all very free and natural. And covered in poo.

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AitchTwoOh · 12/02/2009 14:48

arf arf. or should that be honk honk?

Original poster
wilbur · 12/02/2009 15:49

No, they're mute swans.....

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