Lack of water Intensively reared ducks have no access to water for swimming and often they are unable to even immerse their heads. Water is limited solely to drinking points. Many ducks are forced to drink from nipple drinkers - literally a pipe with holes that dribble water out. Ducks are aquatic birds - naturally spending 80 percent of their time on water. Without water they often develop eye problems that can result in blindness.
Ducks naturally keep themselves spotlessly clean.
In the filthy sheds, excrement and dirt builds up on them and they have no way to remove it. Beak mutilation Some duck farmers shorten the upper bill of a duck by burning or cutting it - without painkillers. It is done to control feather pulling - behavior caused by the unnatural environment in which they live. This mutilation can lead to constant pain and even makes normal eating difficult. According to the FSIS, there are 99 establishments with approved USDA Grant of Inspection for duck slaughter.