Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) is one of the most critical B vitamins for poultry, and its deficiency produces one of the most recognizable nutritional diseases in chicken keeping: curled toe paralysis in chicks. Riboflavin serves as a precursor to two important coenzymes (FAD and FMN) that participate in dozens of metabolic reactions involving energy production, fat metabolism, and the electron transport chain that generates ATP in every cell.
For laying hens, riboflavin supports consistent egg production and is essential for embryo development in fertile eggs. Riboflavin-deficient breeding flocks produce eggs with dramatically reduced hatchability — embryos develop clubbed down feathers, dwarfism, and edema, and most fail to hatch. Even in non-breeding flocks, riboflavin supports feather quality, skin health, and the nervous system function that keeps birds active and alert.
Riboflavin is relatively stable in feed but can be destroyed by exposure to sunlight, which is one reason feed should be stored in dark containers. It is water-soluble, so chickens cannot build up large reserves and need daily dietary sources. Birds on all-grain diets without a commercial feed base are at higher risk since grains are relatively poor in riboflavin compared to legumes, dairy, and green plants.
Laying hens need about 3 to 4 mg of riboflavin per kilogram of feed. Commercial layer feeds include adequate amounts. Dairy products like plain yogurt, leafy greens, and brewer's yeast are excellent supplemental sources. If you hatch chicks at home and see curled toes appearing, riboflavin deficiency in the breeding flock's diet is the first thing to investigate.
0.0% of daily nutrient intake
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) makes up 0.0% of your chicken's total daily nutritional requirements by weight. That's a tiny amount — but it matters.
Curled toe paralysis in chicks (toes curl inward and the bird walks on its hocks), slow growth, poor feathering, diarrhea, drooping wings, reduced egg production in layers, poor hatchability with embryo deformities, dermatitis around the beak and feet
Riboflavin is water-soluble and excess is excreted harmlessly. There is no known toxicity from dietary riboflavin in poultry, even at many times the recommended level.
| Life Stage | Size | Min | Max | Unit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adult | — | 3 | 4 | mg/kg feed | Essential for energy production and preventing curled toe paralysis in chicks. Destroyed by sunlight, so store feed in dark containers. |
Source: NRC Poultry 1994; Merck Veterinary Manual
