Improving Pet Hen Health FAQs
Our funding comes largely from donations given by people taking hens to rehome, and from other fundraising efforts.
We earmark a specific amount to fund research into pet hen health and welfare on a yearly basis. This will be raised through continuing donations from our supporters, legacies and on-going fundraising efforts. Grants currently range in size from £100 to £2,000.
Applications for our Small Grants scheme are invited from vets, academics and other qualified professionals. Applications for our Student Bursaries are invited from undergraduates or graduate students at a UK university or college who have the backing of a qualified supervisor.
The BHWT has a Grants Committee that will review all applications. The committee’s members include vets in practice, academics, and BHWT staff and volunteers with experience in the grantgiving process.
Twice a year, between two and four weeks after the application deadlines.
It depends on your qualifications and what you want to do. Grants up to £2,000 are available for those who need funds to cover the cost of lab fees for analysing samples for established research projects. Bursaries of up to £1000 are available for students.
We are especially interested in receiving applications for studies that will have a rapid and positive impact on the way diseases or other health issues in hens are diagnosed, managed and treated in general practice as well as at a specialist level. However, we welcome any application that will improve or benefit any aspect of pet hen welfare, longevity or wellbeing. It is hoped that any information arising from this research will be disseminated to vets and pet hen owners.
We fund lab fees, but we do not yet fund salaries for researchers.
Yes – 31 January and 31 August each year.
All applicants will be informed of the Grants Committee’s decisions within 60 days of their meeting. Please note that students and their supervisors will be notified in time for any project that starts over the summer.
Once your application is received online, you will be notified electronically. It will then be given a preliminary review and, if successful, submitted for external peer review. The applicants whose submissions have not been shortlisted will be informed at that time. After the peer review, the applications will be considered by the Grants Committee. All applicants will be informed of the decision regarding grants as soon as possible afterwards.
Please see the Small Grants or Student Bursaries pages for details of what you will need to send.
Unfortunately we are unable to give feedback on unsuccessful applications due to the high number of applications we receive.
You may re-apply no sooner than a year later.
