Commercial duck production subjects millions of ducks to conditions that prevent the expression of core water-related behaviors essential to their welfare, including bathing, foraging in water, and swimming.
Ducks are waterbirds by nature — their bodies, behaviors, and sensory systems evolved for aquatic environments. Denying ducks access to open water prevents the fundamental behavior of head immersion that keeps eyes and nostrils healthy and provides sensory enrichment. Bill disorders and eye infections are significantly more common in systems without open water. The strong motivational priority ducks place on water access — demonstrable in preference tests — indicates that denial causes genuine frustration and welfare compromise. The fix is technically simple: providing adequate open water containers. Resistance is primarily economic, as water use and litter management costs increase.