Ducks farmed for meat and eggs have specific welfare needs that are poorly met in most commercial systems. Access to water for bathing and foraging is fundamental to duck welfare.
Farmed duck welfare centers on the contradiction between the species' strong behavioral motivation for water and the absence of open water in most commercial systems. Ducks denied bathing water cannot maintain plumage waterproofing, clean their bills and eyes, or engage in natural bathing and foraging behavior. Eye infections and nasal discharge are clinical indicators of this deprivation. Research using preference tests consistently shows that ducks place very high value on open water access — they are highly motivated to bathe and will work hard to access it. Providing adequate bathing facilities (troughs, ponds, showers) is the single most impactful welfare improvement available in duck production, and its cost is manageable. Welfare standards that mandate open water access for farmed ducks represent an important animal welfare advance.