This timeless expression suddenly has taken on a very real, new meaning for me.
“Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.”
If you’re a regular reader, you probably know that one year ago I ended up with eight chickens. Specifically, eight hens. Here is that story. My lovable girls have been both a great source of amusement and delicious eggs.
Here is why literally the expression, “Don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched” … has taken on a new meaning for me.
About three weeks ago, three of my girls went broody. Since there isn’t a rooster involved, the fact that the girls were sitting on their non-fertilized eggs just didn’t make any sense.
But chickens aren’t very smart. And when the mama thing sets in, picking them up and encouraging them to roam the yard with the rest of the flock was even more pointless. They would just return to their nesting box and sit … and sit … the only thing they would do is get up once a day to eat and do whatever else chickens need to do once a day.
My chicken advisor, Megan, informed me that some hens brood and some don’t. If they do, there isn’t much you can do except wait until their biological instinct wanes.
So being the genius (or novice chicken farmer) that I am, I decided to get myself, and my three broody hens, some fertilized eggs. Why not put these girls to good use and produce my next flock of chickens?
I obtained two-dozen fertilized eggs and put eight eggs under each girl. Wow, that means I’m going to have twenty-four chickens!
One problem. One of the girls decided five eggs was enough and moved three eggs out from her nest.
Wow, I’m going to have twenty-one chickens!
See the point? I’m counting my chickens that haven’t yet hatched.
It’s interesting how an age-old adage suddenly means exactly what it says.
So … don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched!
Next Blog Title: A Tribute to My Mother
Next Blog Date: May 10, 2012