Most floor designs in total-confinement duck housing use either wire mesh or litter and wire mesh. The wire mesh is usually placed over a concrete pit with a sloping design so that washing down or collecting manure is easier. Keeping ducks on wire results in painful abrasions, bruises and tears in the area of the hock, shank or foot pad. Staphylococcal and streptococcal joint infections are the common result. 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.