Heartbroken and Overwhelmed!

[Meg2007]

I have a huge mess, and I will try to make a long story short. A skunk has been getting into my duck pen and eating their eggs, I wasn't too concerned until it attacked one of my babies yesterday. She is injured very badly, and I am MAD! I am just within the city limits and didn't want to shoot the skunk or hurt it, so I called animal control so that they could make sure that it isn't infected with rabies and they could release it elsewhere. When I called them they said that it is illegal to have waterfowl in the city limits. Before I got my ducks I did research to make sure it was ok, but apparently I didn't read the correct ordinances. The ordinance I read said that you could have domesticated animals in city limits, but not roosters. I am right on the city/ county line (but I am in city limits) but the officer that came to my house believes I'm in the county. Hopefully they won't know any different and it won't be investigated. The question is, if they do decide that I can't have my ducks- is there a process that I can argue that? I have 2 Pekins, that are more like a dog than a duck. For now my main concern is treating the injury and getting her better, but I need to come up with a game plan for the future if they realize I'm in the city. Any advice or help would be GREATLY appreciated!!!!

 

[iwiw60]

Meg, I'd repost this under the forum titled:

Local Chicken Laws & Ordinances (and how to change them)


Think you'll get a better-informed response...good luck!

 

[Meg2007]

I have... but haven't gotten any responses yet. This all happened so quickly, I am just SO overwhelmed. I can't imagine losing my babies to a predator, especially a predator called city government. This is just crazy!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have... but haven't gotten any responses yet. This all happened so quickly, I am just SO overwhelmed. I can't imagine losing my babies to a predator, especially a predator called city government. This is just crazy!!

I hope things calm down and they leave you alone. Now to treat have you washed her wounds out good? you can use salt water or plain soap and water. then you may want to clip the feather away from the wound and put some kind of antibiotic ointment or Vetericyn spray on her wounds. Just make sure what ever you use doesn't have pain relief in it. Ducks are pretty tough and can come back from some pretty bad attacks. Another thing you want to do is keep her away from flies they will lay their eggs in the wounds and then you'll have maggots which you really don't want to deal with them. And work on securing your ducks house or what ever the skunk got to them in. Where there is one predator there are many more. Hope your duck heals quick and you don't have any problems from the city over having them.