Duck farming welfare has received increasing attention, with certification schemes and legislative advances beginning to address long-standing problems in commercial duck production.
The duck farming sector has seen meaningful welfare progress in recent decades, driven by scientific documentation of ducks' water needs and consumer pressure on retailers. The recognition that ducks are waterfowl with biological imperatives for bathing has led to certification schemes requiring water access and legislative movement toward minimum standards. However, most commercially produced duck globally still lacks access to bathing water. Certification schemes that require water access represent genuine welfare progress: ducks with bathing access show dramatically more positive behavioral states, better feather condition, and reduced eye and nasal discharge. Supporting these schemes through purchasing decisions accelerates the transition.