Ducks are semi-aquatic birds with strong behavioural needs to access water for bathing and preening, yet most commercial duck farming denies them any meaningful water access, compromising their welfare substantially.
The denial of bathing water to ducks represents a profound mismatch between their behavioural needs and their production environment. Dirty plumage in ducks is not merely cosmetic — it compromises thermoregulation and causes skin irritation. Eye discharge and nasal blockage from inability to rinse their bills and faces are genuinely uncomfortable chronic conditions. Welfare research consistently shows that when given a choice, ducks prioritise water access highly. Providing even simple shallow troughs or nipple drinkers with enough flow for bill immersion significantly improves welfare outcomes at low cost. The continued confinement of billions of ducks without water access represents a large-scale preventable welfare failure.