Farmed ducks are denied the opportunity to engage in dust bathing and other comfort behaviours in systems without appropriate substrate, causing chronic behavioural frustration.
Duck comfort behaviour welfare parallels the situation of other farmed species denied behavioural opportunity: when ducks cannot engage in preening, bathing, and comfort behaviours appropriate to their species, chronic frustration results. Unlike hens where dust bathing substrate can be provided relatively easily, duck welfare requirements for water immersion create greater system design challenges. Litter provision addresses some comfort behaviour needs but cannot substitute for water access in semi-aquatic birds. Welfare-motivated changes to duck housing design that accommodate water access — troughs, showers, or ponds — address comfort behaviour needs while also enabling natural foraging and sensory behaviours.