About me

My parents must have foreseen my career would be with hens when they named me Henrietta. I've wanted to work with chickens since I bought my first Belgium Bantam trio at an agricultural show with my dad on holiday. These astounded hens spent the next few days living in a tent in Wales, sheltering from heavy rain, before moving to London.

 

I qualified as a veterinary surgeon from The Royal Veterinary College and went straight into mixed practice in Surrey where I saw lots of pet chickens. Wanting to spend more time with these unique feathery creatures, I was lucky enough to join one of the leading poultry veterinary practices in the UK. After frequent desperate phone calls from vet-friends who wanted chicken advice, I realised there was a great need for today's vets to understand and treat chickens. So, I moved back to Surrey to design and teach the poultry course (medicine, surgery and husbandry) at the University of Surrey, School of Veterinary Medicine.

 

In addition to my MRCVS registration I also have a postgraduate diploma in veterinary public health and epidemiology and a postgraduate certificate in learning and teaching.

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My opening hours account for my other roles which include: Associate poultry editor of the UK's peer-reviewed veterinary journal - Vet Record, visiting lecturer at University of Surrey School of Veterinary Medicine and committee member of the British Veterinary Poultry Association (BVPA). I also collaborate in various poultry-related research projects, provide poultry consultant services, am a director of Happy Healthy Hens Ltd. and educate veterinary surgeons in practice through CPD provision and published articles.

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In summary, I live and breathe chickens!