We’re nearly done with processing all this year’s samples. Some turnover in lab members has led to some sample data getting lost & samples needing to be reprocessed (ugh!). But such is life. The team is now solidified and fully trained, so we’re making good progress & will hopefully close out the 2021 samples prior to the end of 2021 \_(._.)_/
We’re also planning next year’s sampling and trying to build organizational systems that accommodate the high number of samples that we’ll hopefully get. Last year proved we needed these systems; this year we plan to have them in place. Live and learn?
A major goal for next sampling season is to get more adult backyard chicken flocks enrolled and sampled. We sampled 28 in our first year (2019), but only 10 in 2020 and about the same number this past year. I’d like to get another 30 this year (2022). We shall see. Our work relies on (1) people volunteering their flocks and (2) having students who are able to help advertise and drive the project, so it’s tricky. I think I have #2 covered, but the sampling schedule with the chicks from March-June also tends to distract from the adult BYC effort.
Interested in volunteering your flock?
email me at andrea.etter@uvm.edu and reference “BYC-VT” or “Backyard chickens”