Livestock · Gallus gallus domesticus · typical adult weight 0.50–5.00 kg
Doxycycline is dosed at 20–50 mg/kg PO q24h x 3-7 days in chickens, per Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.588 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755. Doxycycline is used in chickens for Bacterial infection, Bacterial infection / chlamydiosis. Routes documented in chickens: PO. A typical adult chicken weighs 0.50–5.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Doxycycline in chickens, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Vibramycin
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PO | 20–50 mg/kg | q24h x 3-7 days | Bacterial infection | Moderate | Greenacre, C.B., Luna, G.L., and Morishita, T.M. (2018). Backyard poultry and waterfowl. In: Exotic Animal Formulary, 5e (ed. J.W. Carpenter), 377-432. St. Louis, Missouri: Elsevier. — Source: Greenacre & Morishita, Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery, 2nd Ed, p.588 — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755 |
| PO | 20 mg/kg | q24h x 4 days | Bacterial infection / chlamydiosis | Moderate | Anadón A, Martínez-Larrañaga MR, Díaz MJ, et al. Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in broiler chickens. Avian Pathol. 1994;23:79-90. — Source: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary, 6th Ed, p.621 doi:10.1080/03079459408418976 — Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary 6th ed, Table 6.1 (Antimicrobial Agents Used in Backyard Poultry, Gamebirds, and Waterfowl.a,b). The copy held is an ebook conversion with no printed page numbers, so the table — not the page — is the citable location. — SOURCE EDITION: Carpenter's Exotic Animal Formulary — ISBN 9780323833929, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9780323833929; Backyard Poultry Medicine and Surgery — ISBN 9781119511755, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781119511755 |
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These ranges are per kg. Enter your chicken's weight to get the precise dose and draw-up volume — unit and concentration math done for you.
Inhibits protein synthesis by binding to 30S ribosomal subunit, preventing aminoacyl-tRNA attachment.
Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for chickens may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Doxycycline dose ranges in chickens, with cited source references: PO 20–50 mg/kg q24h x 3-7 days; PO 20 mg/kg q24h x 4 days. Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Doxycycline in chickens: PO.
Doxycycline is indicated in chickens for: Bacterial infection, Bacterial infection / chlamydiosis.
These are general warnings for Doxycycline across species; consult the chicken dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Can cause esophageal strictures in cats if not followed by water. Photosensitivity. Avoid in pregnant animals (tooth discoloration in fetus).
Why a species-specific page? Doxycycline pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in chickens — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.