Ducks have strong biological drives for water access. Intensive duck farming typically denies these needs, causing significant frustration and compromising feather and eye health.
Duck welfare without water access is one of the clearest examples of frustrating a species' fundamental nature in intensive farming. Ducks evolved as aquatic birds - their anatomy, behaviour and physiology are adapted for water environments. The frustration of the bathing drive in ducks kept without water is measurable: they show redirected behaviours, persistent head-dipping into nipple drinkers, and increased agitation. Beyond frustration, the practical consequences of water deprivation - feather degradation, eye disease, impaired nasal cleaning - cause chronic physical welfare problems. Providing even simple open water troughs makes a significant difference at modest cost.