Ducks are waterfowl with fundamental needs for open water access. Intensive commercial duck farming that denies water for swimming and bathing causes significant and measurable suffering.
Duck welfare in commercial farming is compromised most fundamentally by denial of water access. Ducks are phylogenetically waterfowl; their body plan, sensory systems, and behavioral repertoire evolved for aquatic environments. Without water deep enough to submerge their bills and heads, ducks develop ocular and nasal pathologies within weeks. Feather condition deteriorates without waterproofing behavior. Research comparing water access treatments consistently demonstrates that even simple water troughs allowing head immersion dramatically improve welfare indicators compared to nipple drinkers alone. The economics of providing water access are manageable; the primary barrier is producer inertia and insufficient regulatory requirement.