Riboflavin Deficiency (Curled-Toe Paralysis) in Geese

Riboflavin deficiency is a shortage of vitamin B2, an essential nutrient that helps growing birds use energy and maintain healthy nerves. In geese and other poultry, too little riboflavin can injure the peripheral nerves, especially those serving the legs and feet. That nerve damage is what causes the classic "curled-toe paralysis" pattern.

Young goslings are most at risk because they grow fast and depend on a correctly balanced starter ration. Affected birds may become weak, lag behind flockmates, and start curling their toes inward. As the problem worsens, some birds rest on their hocks instead of standing normally.

This condition is often treatable when caught early. The key is to involve your vet promptly, review the feed program, and correct the deficiency before nerve damage becomes more advanced or permanent.

The most common cause is an unbalanced diet. Geese need a complete ration formulated for their life stage, and homemade mixes, outdated feed, or feed intended for another species may not provide enough riboflavin. Fast-growing goslings are especially vulnerable if they are fed diets that are diluted with too many treats, grains, or pasture before their nutrient needs are met.

Storage and handling matter too. Vitamins can break down over time, especially if feed is old, damp, or stored in hot conditions. Even a feed that started out balanced may no longer deliver the expected vitamin level if it has been kept too long or exposed to poor storage conditions.

In breeding flocks, low vitamin levels in the parent diet can also contribute to deficiency problems in offspring. Your vet may also consider whether another illness, intestinal problem, or broader ration issue is making it harder for the birds to get or use the nutrients they need.

Your vet usually starts with the basics: the birds' age, exact feed being used, how long signs have been present, and whether one bird or many are affected. A physical exam can help identify the classic pattern of toe curling, weakness, poor body condition, and difficulty standing or extending the legs normally.

Because several conditions can look similar, diagnosis often includes ruling out other causes of leg weakness. Depending on the case, your vet may recommend fecal testing, radiographs, bloodwork when practical, or submission of a deceased bird for necropsy. Poultry and avian diagnostic labs can be especially helpful when a flock problem is involved.

In many backyard or small-farm cases, a presumptive diagnosis is made from history, exam findings, and improvement after prompt riboflavin supplementation and diet correction. If the bird improves quickly, that response supports the diagnosis, but your vet still may want to review the whole feeding program to prevent more cases.

Prevention starts with feeding a fresh, complete ration made for the bird's species and life stage. Goslings should not rely on scratch grains, kitchen leftovers, or pasture alone during rapid growth. If you use a poultry feed instead of a waterfowl-specific ration, review niacin and overall vitamin balance with your vet because waterfowl nutrition can differ from chickens.

Store feed in a cool, dry place and use it within the manufacturer's recommended time frame. Avoid feeding bags that are moldy, damp, stale, or long past purchase. Good storage helps protect vitamin content and lowers the risk of other feed-related problems.

For breeding birds, balanced nutrition matters before eggs are ever laid. A well-formulated breeder diet supports healthier hatchlings and lowers the risk of deficiency-related problems early in life. If you keep geese seasonally or raise small backyard flocks, ask your vet to review your feeding plan before goslings arrive so you can prevent problems instead of reacting to them.