Duck Welfare: Open Water Access and Housing Standards

Providing open water access to farmed ducks is one of the most impactful welfare improvements possible, yet remains absent from the majority of commercial duck production worldwide.

Key Facts

Ducks are motivated to submerge their heads in water up to 50 times per day
Head immersion clears eyes and nostrils essential to sensory health
Without open water access, ducks show redirected water-bathing behaviors on dry surfaces
Simple open water troughs cost relatively little to provide and dramatically improve welfare
UK welfare codes now recommend open water access but do not legally mandate it
RSPCA Assured and Freedom Food standards require open water access for certified duck farms

Welfare Considerations

Duck welfare reform has a clear, practical, and relatively low-cost solution: open water access. The evidence that ducks are highly motivated to immerse in water is overwhelming, and the health consequences of denial — eye infections, nasal discharge, and dirty plumage — are well-documented. Consumer pressure has driven some retailers to require open water access from duck suppliers. Extending this requirement universally through legislation would immediately improve conditions for billions of ducks annually. This is one of the highest-impact, most achievable animal welfare reforms available.

What You Can Do

Buy duck products only from RSPCA Assured or equivalent certified welfare schemes
Ask supermarkets about their duck supplier welfare requirements including water access
Support campaigns calling for mandatory open water access in duck welfare legislation
Write to retailers asking them to commit to sourcing only from farms with open water access
Reduce or eliminate duck consumption until open water access becomes a universal standard