Determining the importance of a nest to laying Pekin ducks

Farmed ducks frequently lay eggs on the shed floor, instead of in nests, a behaviour known as floor-laying. The research aimed to determine the importance of a nest to laying Pekin ducks. It was concluded that ducks are generally very motivated to use a suitable nest. Depriving highly motivated ducks of a nest resulted in stress, likely due to frustrated nesting behaviour, suggesting that the nest is an important resource. Floor-laying in ducks is not fully explained by low nest-seeking motivation. Issues such as competition and nest design must be considered when developing strategies to mitigate floor-laying in Pekin ducks.