Ducks are highly water-motivated birds whose welfare in commercial production is severely compromised by denial of open water access and high-density confinement.
Duck welfare is one of the clearest cases of systematic denial of a species-essential behavioral need in commercial production. Water access for bathing and bill immersion is not a luxury for ducks — it is behaviorally required for eye cleaning, feather maintenance, and expression of strong innate motivations. Research using preference testing consistently shows ducks will work hard and choose open water over other resources. Systems that deny this are denying a fundamental welfare need for the duration of each bird's life. The industry argument that wet litter from water access creates disease problems is addressable through drainage design rather than through denying water. Higher welfare duck production systems with pond or shower water access demonstrate that the compromise is achievable.