Laying ducks have strong behavioral motivation to build nests and lay eggs in private enclosed locations; commercial systems rarely accommodate these needs, causing welfare frustration.
Nest deprivation in laying ducks causes a state of behavioral frustration analogous to what welfare scientists call 'thwarted motivation' - the drive is present, the behavior is impossible, and distress results. The solution is not complex or expensive: straw-filled nest boxes accessible to all ducks before peak laying time. The welfare gap between what ducks need and what commercial systems provide is largely addressable with minimal investment.