English · Proverb Attested

don't count your chickens before they're hatched

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Also seen as: don't count your chickens before the eggs have hatched · don't count your chicks before they hatch · don't count your chicks before they're hatched · don't count your chickens before they've hatched

Meaning · English

One should not depend upon a favorable (and typically overoptimistic) outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur.

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

[...] Make Fools believe in their fore-seeing / Of things before they are in Being; / To swallow Gudgeons ere th' are catch'd, / And count their Chickens ere th' are hatch'd, [...]

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Topics: Chickens

Common questions

What does “don't count your chickens before they're hatched” mean?

One should not depend upon a favorable (and typically overoptimistic) outcome to one's plans until it is certain to occur.

Is “don't count your chickens before they're hatched” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.