Physical Adaptations and Behaviours  

Ducks are equipped with webbed feet that make them excellent swimmers, while their specialised bills allow them to filter food particles from rivers, ponds, and marshes. Geese, on the other hand, are primarily herbivorous grazers, feeding on grasses, seeds, and aquatic plants. Both species are highly social and thrive in environments that allow them to form flocks, establish territories, and engage in natural behaviours.  

Water is central to their well-being. Ducks and geese rely on access to water for bathing and preening, which keeps their feathers waterproof and free from parasites. Without this, their feathers deteriorate, leading to discomfort, poor thermoregulation, and increased vulnerability to disease.  

Social Structures and Parenting  

Both ducks and geese exhibit intricate social structures. Ducks, for instance, often form creches—groups where an experienced female cares for multiple clutches of ducklings. In a remarkable example of this behaviour, a Common Merganser in Minnesota was photographed leading 76 ducklings, a testament to the species’ cooperative nature.  

Geese are equally fascinating. Canada geese, for instance, mate for life, sharing parenting responsibilities and mourning deeply when their partners die. They also display extraordinary loyalty to their flock mates, often staying behind to protect injured individuals.  

Migration and Lifespan  

The migratory feats of ducks and geese are among the most impressive in the animal kingdom. Geese conserve energy during long flights by flying in a ‘V’ formation, while Mallard ducks can travel up to 800 miles in a single day. These migrations are vital for their survival, allowing them to find food and favourable breeding conditions.  

In the wild, ducks live for 5 to 10 years, while geese can reach up to 25 years or more. However, in farming systems, their lifespans are cut drastically short—often to just a few weeks.  

Life in Factory Farms  

Despite their natural needs and complex behaviours, millions of ducks and geese are subjected to the horrors of factory farming. In the UK alone, approximately 11 million ducks and geese are slaughtered each year, with the majority raised in intensive systems. 

Overcrowding and Confinement  

Factory farms confine thousands of birds to overcrowded sheds where they are denied basic necessities. Each bird is allocated less than a square metre of space, leaving them unable to move freely or express natural behaviours. These sheds are often windowless, depriving the birds of natural light, and are littered with faeces, creating unhygienic and stressful conditions.  

Water, which is essential to their health and happiness, is reduced to shallow drinkers that allow only head-dipping. This prevents them from swimming, bathing, and preening, leading to crusted eyes, feather damage, and infections.  

Frustration and Health Issues  

The lack of stimulation in factory farms causes severe frustration, resulting in abnormal behaviours such as feather pecking and aggression. Ducks, whose legs are adapted for swimming and walking, frequently develop leg deformities and foot sores due to the hard, inappropriate flooring. Poor ventilation and high ammonia levels exacerbate respiratory issues, while overcrowding makes disease outbreaks common. 

Free-Range Farming: A False Solution  

Free-range systems are often marketed as ethical alternatives to factory farming, but these claims are misleading. While free-range ducks and geese may have limited access to outdoor areas, overcrowding remains a significant issue. Water provision is still inadequate, and the birds are unable to migrate, form strong family bonds, or express their full range of natural behaviours.  

Investigations into free-range farms have revealed geese living in filthy conditions, suffering from neglect and injuries. Predation rates are high, as young birds lack the protection of their parents and are confined to fenced areas where they cannot escape from predators.  

The Atrocity of Foie Gras  

Foie gras, a so-called delicacy, is made from the diseased livers of ducks and geese who are force-fed in a process known as gavage.  

The Process of Gavage  

Workers restrain the birds, shove metal pipes down their throats, and pump large quantities of grain and fat into their stomachs multiple times a day. This causes the birds’ livers to swell to up to 10 times their normal size, resulting in immense pain and difficulty breathing.  

The birds are often kept in tiny cages where they cannot move, surrounded by their own vomit and faeces. Many suffer from injuries caused by the force-feeding process, including ruptured esophagi and infections. Mortality rates are alarmingly high, and those who survive are slaughtered in terror and pain.  

Legal Loopholes  

While foie gras production is illegal in the UK and many other countries, it remains legal to import and sell it. This perpetuates the suffering of ducks and geese abroad, as consumers continue to support this cruel industry.  

The Down Industry: Cruelty Hidden in Plain Sight  

Down feathers, prized for their insulating properties, are another source of suffering for ducks and geese. While marketed as a by-product of the meat industry, the down trade is a lucrative market that sustains and incentivises the commodification of these birds.  

Live-Plucking  

In many cases, ducks and geese are subjected to live-plucking, where workers rip feathers from their bodies while they are still alive. This process is excruciatingly painful, often tearing the birds’ skin and leaving them with open wounds. These injuries are crudely stitched without anaesthetic, causing further suffering.  

Even when down is harvested post-slaughter, the birds endure lives of misery on factory farms. Down products are also treated with harmful chemicals during processing, raising environmental and health concerns.  

Mutilations and Selective Breeding 

To maximise profits, ducks and geese are selectively bred to grow faster and larger than their wild counterparts. This often results in severe health issues, including leg deformities, respiratory problems, and an inability to perform natural behaviours.  

In overcrowded conditions, some farmers resort to mutilations to prevent injuries. For example, Muscovy ducks have their bills trimmed using infrared lasers, a procedure that causes long-term pain and impairs their ability to forage.

Transport and Slaughter  

The final stage of a farmed bird’s life is often the most terrifying. During transport to slaughterhouses, ducks and geese are crammed into crates, often without food or water, and exposed to extreme temperatures.  

At slaughter, many are hung upside down and shackled by their feet, causing immense stress and pain. While some are stunned before being killed, improper stunning methods often leave birds conscious when their throats are slit or when they are plunged into scalding water to remove their feathers.

A Call for Change

The exploitation of ducks and geese is a stark reminder of the moral cost of treating animals as commodities. These intelligent, social, and sentient beings deserve better than lives of confinement, mutilation, and slaughter.  

Ethical Alternatives  

Consumers can make a difference by choosing cruelty-free alternatives. Faux gras, made from plant-based ingredients like mushrooms and walnuts, offers a compassionate alternative to foie gras. Similarly, synthetic and recycled materials provide effective substitutes for down in clothing and bedding.  

Advocacy and Awareness  

Raising awareness about the realities of these industries is crucial. By sharing information, supporting animal rights organisations, and advocating for policy changes, we can help create a world where ducks and geese are no longer commodified but respected as the remarkable beings they are.