Don't count your chickens before they hatch
“Don't count your chickens before they hatch” means not to rely on success before it is certain. It is traditionally associated with the milkmaid fable, in which imagined profits disappear when the milk spills, but that association does not establish the proverb’s origin.
Where it comes from
The milkmaid's lost plans
The saying is associated with the milkmaid story found in collections of Aesop's fables. Her imagined wealth depends on a sale she has not yet made.
In Aesop's Fables, a milkmaid imagines buying eggs with her earnings and raising chickens for further profit. A movement of her head spills the milk, ending her plans.
In Aesop's Fables; A New Translation by Aesop
What it means now
Today the saying warns against spending, celebrating, or making promises based on an uncertain outcome. It advises caution rather than giving up hope.
In Fables, La Fontaine's milkmaid imagines her profits growing through chickens, a pig, and cattle. She jumps with pleasure at the thought and drops her milk.
In Fables by Jean de La Fontaine
How to use Don't count your chickens before they hatch
- Use it when someone treats an uncertain result as settled.
- Name the result that still needs to happen.
- Keep the warning gentle rather than scolding.
Does it mean you should not make plans?
No, it means plans should allow for uncertainty. Applying for a job and considering a move is sensible; signing a costly lease before receiving an offer may depend too heavily on a hoped-for result.
Is the saying really about chickens?
The chickens are an image for gains that are not yet secure. Eggs may not all hatch, just as an expected payment, prize, or opportunity may not arrive. The saying applies far beyond farming.
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