Farmed Duck Welfare: Current Issues and Standards

Duck farming raises specific welfare concerns around water access, housing, and slaughter. Understanding current standards and gaps helps guide consumer and policy action.

Key Facts

Over 3 billion ducks are farmed globally, primarily in Asia, with significant production in Europe and North America
Ducks have a strong motivation to perform bathing and preening behaviors that require open water access
Most commercial duck farming systems provide inadequate water access, denying core behavioral needs
Wet-plucking before slaughter without adequate stunning is a welfare concern in some global duck systems
RSPCA Assured and Freedom Food standards for ducks require open water access as a minimum standard

Welfare Considerations

Duck welfare is an area where the gap between natural behavior and commercial provision is stark and well-documented. Ducks without bathing water show persistent behavioral frustration, cannot maintain eye and feather health adequately, and have been shown to prefer water access above other resources when given choice. The welfare case for open water provision is overwhelming, yet it remains absent in many commercial duck systems globally. Consumer demand for higher welfare standards is the primary driver of improvement in this sector.

What You Can Do

Choose duck products certified to welfare standards requiring open water access
Avoid products from standard commercial duck farms unless higher welfare certification can be verified
Contact supermarkets and food companies asking them to require open water access in duck welfare sourcing standards
Support legislation requiring open water provision in duck farming at national and EU level
Reduce duck consumption or shift to certified higher-welfare sources as a consumer action