Ducks are semi-aquatic birds with strong innate drives to swim, dabble, and preen in water. The near-universal denial of water access in commercial duck farming creates one of the most stark behavioural deprivations in animal agriculture.
The denial of water access to farmed ducks is one of the most straightforward examples of systematic behavioural deprivation in animal agriculture. Unlike chickens, ducks have evolved as semi-aquatic animals with a fundamental biological need to immerse their heads in water — for eye cleaning, nostril clearing, and preening. Without this access, ducks develop ocular and nasal problems that cause chronic discomfort. Their waterproofing depends on preening with oil from the preen gland, and restricted access to water impairs this function. Dustbathing — the land-based alternative used by chickens — is insufficient for ducks. The argument that open water provision creates biosecurity challenges (wet litter, disease) is real but manageable with appropriate barn design. Higher-welfare duck production systems that include drinkers with head immersion capability, or open water troughs, demonstrate that commercial viability is compatible with meeting this core need.