Fostering transition toward prudent antimicrobial use (AMU) by chicken farmers in Vietnam is urgently needed. To identify levers to activate to support this change, the process of transition of farmers to better AMU needs to be understood from a socio-economic and multi-stakeholder perspective. In this study, we seek to understand why and how farmers from different production systems achieve a change in their practices and to determine the influence of their social network on their transition process. We conducted a qualitative study including 30 semi-structured interviews in Phu Binh district, Thai Nguyen province with breeders, traders, veterinarians, and drug sellers. We also observed chicken farms, feeding activities, and interactions between these stakeholders. From a thematic analysis, we described the transition pathway of farmers and identified constraints and levers to reduce AMU. We identified farmers' profit-oriented production patterns, intensive farming, and the high disease incidence as main barriers to changing practices. To overcome these barriers and reduce AMU, changes appeared at the farms and value chain level. At the farm level, breeders use technical measures such as local preparation of probiotics, improved vaccination, and biosecurity through workshops organized by private or public actors. At the value chain level, the solution came through the development of cooperatives. These groups of farmers guarantee financial stability as well as technical support to practice change. However, these groups have been established on a spontaneous basis and can be the levers to access a distribution network specialized in quality products with less antibiotic use. We believe that innovative solutions emerging from the local level need to be considered to effectively reduce AMU in chicken production. The successful individual strategies could be communicated to policymakers and included in the national strategy to reduce antibiotic use to increase the bene