Duck and Goose Welfare: Foie Gras, Down, and Commercial Farming

Ducks and geese face welfare challenges from foie gras production, live-plucking for down feathers, and intensive commercial farming. Each practice causes significant suffering.

Key Facts

Foie gras production involves force-feeding ducks and geese via a tube to enlarge their livers up to ten times normal size
Foie gras production is banned in the UK, Germany, and several other countries but imported product is not banned
Live plucking of ducks and geese for down feathers causes acute pain and stress, and is widespread in Eastern Europe
The global duck meat industry slaughters over 3 billion ducks annually
Ducks are semi-aquatic birds with strong motivation to access water for bathing and foraging
Most commercial ducks are raised without access to any open water — a severe deprivation of a core behavioural need

Welfare Considerations

Foie gras force-feeding involves insertion of a metal tube down the throat multiple times daily, causing oesophageal injury, difficulty breathing, and inability to stand in severe cases. The enlarged liver is pathological — the animals are being deliberately made ill. Live plucking pulls feathers from conscious geese and ducks causing acute pain, broken skin, and injury that takes weeks to heal. Commercial ducks without water access cannot thermoregulate their eyes and nostrils, preventing essential maintenance behaviour. Providing even basic water access for bathing dramatically improves duck welfare with limited production cost.

What You Can Do

Avoid foie gras products — support brands and restaurants that have removed it from their menus
Choose down products labelled as traceable and not live-plucked, or switch to synthetic alternatives
Advocate for water access requirements in duck welfare legislation
Support bans on the import of foie gras products in countries where its production is prohibited