Ducks are waterfowl with strong behavioral drives related to water, preening, and foraging. Farming systems that deny water access cause significant welfare compromise.
Duck welfare in commercial farming is significantly compromised in most production systems globally. The most fundamental welfare problem is denial of water access adequate for swimming, bathing, and preening. As waterfowl, ducks have physiological and behavioral needs inextricably linked to water: their feathers require regular waterproofing through preening combined with bathing; their eyes need regular immersion to clear debris and maintain health; their bills are adapted for filter feeding in water. Systems that provide only nipple drinkers — or even shallow troughs — cannot satisfy these needs. Behavioral studies show ducks strongly prefer and will work hard to access open water. Rapid growth selection in Pekin ducks has also created welfare problems analogous to fast-growing broilers: musculoskeletal problems and cardiovascular strain from growth rates exceeding physiological capacity.