Good Morning to You too: When Our Hen Turned Out to Be a Rooster

Meet Jessie. We raised her (him) from a 1 day old chick. We had many hopes and dreams that someday Jessie would provide us with fresh eggs for breakfast. Now we cringe each morning at (ahem!) 5:30 A.M. sharp with a crisp and clear, COCKA-DOOODLE!!!! But no DOOOOS.... Not sure if Jessie will ever do the cocka-doodle-dooo, but whatever he dooo's, I hope my neighbor's don't want to dooo me in.

Looking again at my city ordinance rules, we can have up to 10 chickens in town. No specifications on roosters. I'm assuming (ahem) that we CAN have a rooster...

Anyway, my girls (and 1 guy) are growing fast! I built them a nice large pen last week and they seem pretty happy!

Like many first-time chicken owners, we were convinced Jessie would someday reward us with fresh eggs. We raised "her" from a tiny one-day-old chick, watched her grow, and patiently waited for that first egg.

Instead...

One morning, at exactly 5:30 a.m., we received a very enthusiastic wake-up call.

COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO!

It didn't take long to realize Jessie wasn't going to be laying eggs after all!

When Your "Hen" Turns Out to Be a Rooster

This is actually a common surprise for backyard chicken keepers. Even chicks sold as pullets (young hens) occasionally turn out to be roosters, and chicks sold as "straight run" have roughly a 50/50 chance of being either male or female. Many people don't realize what they have until the bird begins crowing or develops the larger comb, wattles, and colorful tail feathers typical of a rooster.

Why Roosters Aren't Allowed in Many Cities

Although backyard hens have become increasingly popular, many cities prohibit roosters because of noise rather than concerns about the birds themselves. A rooster's crow can easily be heard hundreds of feet away and often begins well before sunrise, making it difficult for nearby neighbors. Some cities allow hens but specifically ban roosters, while others limit the total number of poultry that can be kept. Before bringing home chicks, it's always a good idea to check your local ordinances.

What We Decided to Do

As much as we enjoyed raising Jessie, we also wanted to be respectful of our neighbors. After discussing our options, we eventually found him a wonderful new home where he could crow to his heart's content on a farm with plenty of room to roam.

Looking back, Jessie gave us more than a few laughs and taught us one of the first lessons of backyard chicken keeping—you don't always get exactly what you expect, but sometimes those surprises become the stories you remember most.

Low Carb Pizza! Easy Low-Carb Cauliflower Pizza Crust Recipe

Here's an amazing LOW CARB - breadless pizza!

Pizza Crust

• 2 cups Mazarella Cheese
• 2 cups riced Cauliflour
• 2 Eggs

The cauliflower is "riced" by using a food processor, or grater. It needs to resemble rice. Place in microwave and cook for 5 min.

I make my own pizza sauce. Just a small can of tomato paste, add water to make consistency you prefer, then a pinch of garlic salt, and your favorite Italian spices. Mix, heat, and set aside.

Mix in bowl, both cups of cauliflower, 2 cups Mazzarella cheese, and 2 eggs. Pour over a greased cookie sheet/pizza pan and spread.

Cook at 400 degrees for 15-20 min till crust is browned.

Spread sauce, and sprinkle Parmesan cheese...

Pile on your favorite toppings! Set oven to broil and cook only long enough for toppings/cheese to melt.

~

*This is the second time I've made this and I had forgotten to precook my riced cauliflower. It still turned out!

Easy Low-Carb Cauliflower Pizza Crust

If you're looking for a satisfying pizza without the traditional bread crust, this cauliflower pizza is one of our family favorites. It's surprisingly easy to make, holds together well, and can be topped with just about anything you enjoy on a regular pizza.

Pizza Crust Ingredients

• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups riced cauliflower
• 2 large eggs

Simple Homemade Pizza Sauce

• 1 small can tomato paste
• Water (to reach your preferred consistency)
• Pinch of garlic salt
• Italian seasoning to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Rice the cauliflower using a food processor or box grater until it resembles grains of rice.
3. Microwave the riced cauliflower for about 5 minutes, then allow it to cool slightly.
4. In a large bowl, combine the cooked cauliflower, mozzarella cheese, and eggs. Mix until well blended.
5. Spread the mixture evenly onto a lightly greased pizza pan or baking sheet, shaping it into a pizza crust.
6. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until the crust is golden brown and beginning to crisp around the edges.
7. While the crust is baking, prepare the pizza sauce by mixing the tomato paste with enough water to reach your desired consistency. Stir in the garlic salt and Italian seasoning.
8. Remove the baked crust from the oven and spread with pizza sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and add your favorite toppings.
9. Turn the oven to broil and cook just long enough for the cheese to melt and the toppings to heat through.

A Slice of Texas

One of the things I like most about this recipe is how versatile it is. We often change the toppings depending on what we have in the refrigerator—pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, olives, or fresh tomatoes all work beautifully. It's a great way to enjoy pizza while keeping the meal lower in carbohydrates.

Kitchen Tip: The second time I made this recipe, I completely forgot to microwave the cauliflower before mixing the ingredients together—and it still turned out surprisingly well! Sometimes recipes are more forgiving than we think.