The "unwritten" rule at my city hall (sort of long)

[homecatmom]

Several weeks ago I spent over an hour on the phone with City Hall trying to find out if ducks were allowed in my town. I found the area that states, "Poultry (hens only in the R-1 zone) and pigeons, provided that not more than twenty-four (24) birds are maintained on any lot or parcel" This covers my chickens. I had one of the workers tell me that NO, ducks are not allowed. That has been eating at me since the call. Today I called back and talked to a snotty young man. He also said NO, ducks are not allowed. I asked him where in the ordinances it states that. I was questioned if I knew how to get on the internet...(I told you he was snotty!) I told him I was on Municode.com and could only find the section posted above regarding poultry hens and pigeons. He stammered a bit and said that the code "is interpreted as meaning NO ducks". I'm angry by this point, so my next statement was, "What you are telling me is that the ordinance does not state that ducks are not allowed, the city is just telling me that ducks are not allowed, is that correct?" He did some back peddaling and got very nasty with me. He even told me what filthy, noisy birds they are, and WHY would someone in a residential area even want one. I'm getting mean in my old age. I am going to have a duck, I am going to have my 23 hens, and if they want to come after me....LET THEM! Mind you I live in the same town that made national news with that darn monkey Moe several years ago. Now, What kind of duck or ducks should I get?

Cathy

 

[JenniferJoIN]

You go girl!

 

[RyanAndMeri]

Get 23 Rhode Island Red Roosters. My old RI Rooster used to chase and terrorize everybody it saw. 23 of them would make for a great horror movie. When the city comes to collect them, video record it and post it for some great commedy.

 

[speckledhen]

Sorry, no unwritten rules allowed! Make them show you the rules then make them abide by them.

 

[jab91864]

I think you should get 2 ducks.... everybody needs a friend and I think one duck would be lonely. I keep my runner ducks with my chickens but they stick together all the time.

Just my two cents.

Julie

 

[homecatmom]

speckeledhen, I agree "unwritten" to me means "unfollowed"

And Jab I will have to get 2 ducks, can't have them lonely. It would be a youtube moment if they tried to catch 23 roos in my back yard! It would almost be worth the fine...lol They sent a female police officer after Moe the monkey and the silly woman stuck her finger in his cage and wondered why she got bit..

I'll have to call next week and ask about geese and peafowl...nothing on the ordinances (written that is) I know there is a peacock around here because I hear it in the evening. You will all write me when I'm in jail....right???

 

[SandraChick]

Double check under "livestock"....


Other than that its.....But Mr. Judge- I checked the ordinances and no-where does it state I'm not allowed to have ducks on my property. I've followed the rule to have only 23 chickens....

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Poultry means any domesticated bird kept for eggs or meat. You are allowed any mix of poultry (chickens, ducks, geese, turkey, chukar, pigeons, etc.) up to 24 birds. The part about "hens only" in zone R-1 means that no cocks are allowed in that zone, it doesn't mean you are only allowed to keep chickens.

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I think Mac has it right. In the dictionary, poultry are domesticated birds kept for eggs or meat and a hen is a female bird. If you want to play it safe, get female ducks. Then you should be all set!

 

[flyingmonkeypoop]

I suggest getting call ducks. They are noisy and cute. Or you could get runner ducks, they come in lots of colors and lay lots of eggs.