article_snippet: There are no legal requirements to provide farmed ducks with anything other than water to drink, and the duck industry’s own standards, through the Red Tractor scheme, only require ducks to be able to cover ducks heads with water.
article_snippet: Welfare expert at RSPCA, Dr Marc Cooper, said: ‘Ducks are waterfowl, therefore Ducks should be provided with water that allows Ducks full body access.
article_snippet: This is not only good for Ducks health, as This helps keep Ducks eyes, nostrils and feathers clean, but This also allows Ducks to do the things Ducks naturally want to do.
article_snippet: There are no legal requirements to provide farmed ducks with anything other than water to drink, and the industry own standards only require ducks to be able to cover ducks heads with water .
article_snippet: Unfortunately current UK law does not require water to be provided to ducks for anything other than drinking, and ducks may only have access to water from drinkers such as nipple drinkers.
article_snippet: the meat has set up a Duck Assurance Scheme (DAS) to cover rearing policies and ensures there is enough water to allow the ducks to dip the ducks heads in and use the water to preen the ducks feathers.
article_snippet: ‘Open water sources, particularly those in which ducks can get in, have poor water quality which can lead to bacterial infections of the eyes and nostrils.
article_snippet: Keeping eyes, nostrils, feet and plumage clean is key to good duck health and welfare and is provided for the form of open water resource in the DAS.
article_snippet: ‘the DAS requires that ducks must have sufficient space to be able to sit without interference from other birds, to exhibit normal behaviour, to bathe, and have access to wholesome feed and clean fresh drinking water.