Farmed ducks are aquatic birds whose welfare is fundamentally compromised when they are denied access to water for bathing and swimming — a common feature of intensive duck production.
Water access for farmed ducks is one of the clearest cases in farm animal welfare where the animal's behavioural needs directly reflect its evolutionary biology. These are aquatic birds — their entire anatomy and behaviour is oriented toward water. Denying them water access frustrates fundamental needs for eye and nare cleaning, feather maintenance, and foraging, causing chronic welfare deficits. The solution is straightforward — open water provision — and its welfare benefits are well-documented. The barrier is economic, not technical.