Don’t Count Your Chickens Before They Hatch
Don’t count your chickens before they hatch means don’t assume success too early or rely on something before it actually happens. It’s advice to stay patient and realistic instead of banking on hopes or guesses.
Common here, of course, but often shortened to 'don't count your chickens...' Common here, of course, but often shortened to 'don't count your chickens...' Pronunciation
buh-FORE thay HATCH]
/ˌdoʊnt kaʊnt jɚ ˈtʃɪkənz bəˈfɔr ðeɪ hætʃ/
Meaning & Usage
- Don’t assume success too early (saying)
He’s plannin’ what he’ll buy with lottery winnings.Well, don’t count your chickens before they hatch.Origin
This proverb traces back to **Aesop’s Fables** (6th century BC), where a milkmaid daydreams about profits she doesn’t have yet and ends up losing everything. The farming version we know today-about unhatched eggs-became popular in English by the 1500-1600s.
It spread throughout the English-speaking world, including the American South, where farm and livestock imagery feels natural. But its roots are much older and broader than the rural South.
Verdict: Southernish. Common in Southern talk, but not originally Southern.
Notes
- Often said to encourage patience and level-headed planning.
- Still used widely in business, sports, gambling, and family life.
- A polite way to say "you’re gettin’ ahead of yourself."
- The imagery hits especially well in rural and farming communities.
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it steady: "don’t count yer chickens before they hatch." Often told as a warning or gentle advice.