B2/Riboflavin Deficiency Treatment?

[Laughing Stock Farms]

Hello BYC!

We had a vitamin deficiency issue, seemingly due to feed. For months we fed Corn/Soy Free. It wasn’t until multiple issues and losses that we discovered Corn/Soy Free feeds are typically lacking in the vitamin department. Of course, by then, I had already hatched from deficient hens.

Since correcting, we’ve switched feeds to a Show Flock feed, while also adding Fertrell NutriBalance. We’re happy with this, and problems are popping up less and less.

I’m at the tail end of this. But do have two grow outs currently displaying symptoms….

One pullet started with the common sitting on her hocks, reluctant to walk. I’m worried she progressed too far in the deficiency that she may not make a recovery at this point. Severe atrophy in the legs. She gets herself turned around to eat and drink but unable to stand. We’ve been treating for weeks (however, the first week or more, the “b complex” I was giving her, the goat tube, I realized does not contain b2) she is in good spirits otherwise.

The second is a juvenile cockerel. He started later, so he started getting CORRECT vitamins sooner. He went from ruffled, isolating in the corner, purplish comb, to a nice red comb, still sort of frumpy, to then walking on his ankle with his foot behind him sort of curled.

After a few days, he’s in good spirits. Lively. Even saw him get up on the roost bar this afternoon! But his foot is still not working…

I’m crushing a b complex (human) and adding to water and syringe feeding it to him twice a day. He’s still with his flock. Seems okay other than the foot. Not being picked on. Goes up and down the ramp etc.

My question: DOSING/ADMINISTERING B2/Riboflavin… is there a better way? What’s the CORRECT amount to treat a severe deficiency? Is the livestock injectable from TSC a better option? Inject it or feed orally? How much?


Thanks so much!

 

[Eggcessive]

Riboflavin deficiency does need to be treated soon after symptoms occur since there can be permanent damage done. Symptoms should improve fairly soon with riboflavin supplements. I usually recommend human super B complex 1/4-1/2 tablet daily. The injectable 1/2 ml given orally can also be used. B vitamins are difficult to overdose since excess is excreted by the kidneys. Here are 2 good articles on riboflavin deficiency to read:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

 

[Laughing Stock Farms]

Riboflavin deficiency does need to be treated soon after symptoms occur since there can be permanent damage done. Symptoms should improve fairly soon with riboflavin supplements. I usually recommend human super B complex 1/4-1/2 tablet daily. The injectable 1/2 ml given orally can also be used. B vitamins are difficult to overdose since excess is excreted by the kidneys. Here are 2 good articles on riboflavin deficiency to read:
https://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/diseases-of-poultry/217/vitamin-b2-deficiency

https://www.merckvetmanual.com/poul...ement-poultry/vitamin-deficiencies-in-poultry

Thank you! Is the injectable b complex for “livestock” sold at TSC the appropriate injectable? It mentions for cattle, swine, sheep I believe. I didn’t see anything in the ingredients that looked alarming for poultry but just wanted to be sure.

I just let everyone out this morning, and he is stepping on the bottom of his foot at least half of the time, rather than the foot behind him and walking on his ankle. I will try to wrap the foot flat to help straighten out, it’s still curled a bit, but a huge improvement from last week since starting him on the b complex tablets. For ease of administering and for the future, I may pick up a bottle of the injectable. Hoping I can get the pullet to pull through as well; but her leg muscle atrophy is significant, so I am not sure she will recover or if she progressed too far.

Thank you.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes, that is the right one. But it would work the same as the human B complex. I crush a tablet and add to a spoonful of water to give with a dropper, or put it in some egg or moist feed. You can’t go wrong with giving 1/2 tablet daily.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

One thing to note is that if you don’t want to inject the Durvet B complex it can also be given orally at 1ml per bird. I along with many others in this forum have used it for ducks in particular for years. I have not given it to chickens because I have not needed to, but it is also safe for them.

 

[Eggcessive]

I think 1 ml of the injectable is the same as the B complex tablet. So 1/4 to 1/2 ml or tablet is fine for dosage. Not much riboflavin is needed to treat a deficiency, 100 micrograms or less than 1 mg per day. The tablets have 100 mg.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I think 1 ml of the injectable is the same as the B complex tablet. So 1/4 to 1/2 ml or tablet is fine for dosage. Not much riboflavin is needed to treat a deficiency, 100 micrograms or less than 1 mg per day. The tablets have 100 mg.

The lower dosage would make sense for Riboflavin deficiency since it has 5mg of Riboflavin per 1ml. I use it to treat niacin so always dose at 1ml to provide double the niacin dose needed daily for ducks.