If they need to control pigeons too, then they're SOL.

http://www.boston.com/dailynews/140/world/More_birds_slaughtered_in_Hong:.shtml

More birds slaughtered in Hong Kong; South Korea also bans chicken imports

By Verna Yu, Associated Press, 5/20/2001 11:42

HONG KONG (AP) Buddhist monks chanted and prayed Sunday as Hong Kong continued its mass slaughter of chickens, ducks and pigeons in an attempt to stamp out avian influenza.

Another 140,000 birds were killed Sunday at more than 130 markets. The slaughter of 1.2 million birds was expected to take six weeks.

Officials call it a necessary precaution even though the disease has not affected humans. In 1997, six people died and dozens were sickened from a deadly strain of the flu.

South Korea on Sunday became the latest country to ban chicken imports from Hong Kong. The Philippines and Japan have already imposed such a ban.

Taiwan has stepped up its screening of travelers from Hong Kong and asked chicken farmers to put up nets over their farms to prevent migrant birds from spreading the flu virus.

A Buddhist temple held a ritual Sunday to pacify the souls of the dead birds and to atone for what Buddhists consider the sin of killing.

Hundreds of monks and followers in the Western Monastery chanted prayers while the Rev. Wing Sing prostrated himself in front of a plaque erected for the dead birds.

''The untimely deaths of the large number of chickens mean much grief is floating around in the air,'' he said. ''If it isn't dissipated by the pacifying ritual, natural disasters like rainstorms and flooding might curse Hong Kong.''

-- Anonymous, May 21, 2001