Rearing birds on fermenting litter provides sensible heat and assists towards
maintaining environmental temperature during winter but, conversely, substantially increases heat load and environmental temperature during summer. Table
ducklings in Eastern Europe are reared on litter in winter, but are given access
to outside pens and bathing water to reduce heat stress during summer.
However, legislation affecting disposal of effluent along with increasing concerns about transmission of disease from migrating wildfowl to domestic duck
(and the human population) limit opportunities to rear birds in this manner.
Increasingly, table duckling in continental climates are reared in insulated and
power-ventilated accommodation on either slatted plastic flooring or a combination of litter and slatted flooring to avoid or reduce heat from fermenting litter affecting environmental temperature during summer.