Chicken Math

At my farm, we have lots of chickens — some for eggs, some for meat. The layers are a steady source of highly nutritious eggs that are fantastic quality from happy hens. There’s nothing like running out of eggs and knowing you don’t need to drive to the store but they are only a short walk on the property in the best quality you can ask for.

One morning, I collected the eggs from all the 55 hens in the chicken coop and spotted one straggler egg in the corner. As I set the basket with this morning’s fresh eggs on a ledge to free my hands for a deep lean to grab the last egg, I leaned over the roosting bar to reach into the corner for a beautiful blue egg. In an instant, the basket I had collected that morning’s eggs in fell off the ledge, smashing most of the eggs in the basket and dropping the rest onto the floor while I remained in a matrix like position, blue egg in hand.

It was a small loss, but it carried a much bigger reminder. Chicken math sayings are full of wisdom and I often repeat these to myself to calm things down when I face business challenges:

1. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.

2. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch.

We hear a lot of modern advice about diversification — don’t put all your eggs in one basket, spread your risk, multiple revenue streams, and so on. But this isn’t just financial literacy talk. It’s ancient wisdom. And this one verse in the bible has been such a fundamental part of growing wealth for me - it reads like this:

“Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, or even to eight, for you know not what disaster may happen on earth.”
— Ecclesiastes 11:1–2 (ESV)

Whether you’re gathering eggs or building a life, expecting provision from only one source is risky.

We don’t know what storms might hit next month — economically, personally, or globally. That’s why having income that flows from different places, ideally with different timelines and levels of involvement, isn’t just smart… it’s wise.

Let’s talk about baskets — and ideas for more than one.

1. A 9–5 or Professional Job

This is often the anchor — salary, benefits, structure. It brings predictability and often serves as the foundation that lets you explore other streams. But it’s still one basket. Many people discovered during layoffs or career pivots just how risky relying on one stream can be.

2. Rental Income

If you’ve invested in property — even just renovating your basement for a rental or buying a seasonal cottage — you’re sitting on a real opportunity. With careful management and the right local support, this can become a consistent stream of income. If one property feels manageable, consider expanding and also look at the numbers for short term rental in your area, if it’s allowed.

3. Hourly or Gig Work

For some, this looks like consulting in your niche. For others, it’s physical work — like landscaping, tutoring, nanny roles, babysitting, cleaning homes, private chef work or driving for Uber. The point is, it doesn’t have to be fancy. It has to be functional. Extra cash from something outside your regular role adds resilience and could become a full time focus in the future.

4. Investments and Stock Ownership

You don’t need to be glued to Bloomberg to benefit from basic investing. Contributing regularly to your investment portfolio, employer programs or pensions, is a long-game play that can compound in the background while you do other things. Getting into the swing of taking some cash off the table for your future enjoyment is a great exercise in living within our means. If you have a pension with work and have the chance to take advantage of a matching program, that’s like free money!

5. Running a Small Business

Maybe it’s a side hustle. Maybe it becomes your main thing. Either way, a small business can grow from selling your expertise, a product, or service. What matters is that it builds something you own, and ownership is where leverage lives.

6. Producing

There’s power in creating something with your hands or mind and exchanging it for money. Whether it's chili oil, preserved tomatoes, eggs at a farm stand, sourdough bread, digital downloads, or keto cookies — this is tangible, human commerce. Making millions may not be the goal for this production area, especially not at the beginning, but it makes a difference. It’s income rooted in resourcefulness.

Final Thoughts: Don’t Wait to Diversify

That morning that my basket of eggs smashed on the floor of the chicken coop wasn’t the end of the world but it stuck with me. I did not cry, just incase you were wondering. But that’s how financial loss often happens — in a moment. In an unpredictable market shift, a medical emergency or a tech layoff.

You can’t always predict the storm, and I don’t encourage being worried or fearful of risks at all times. But you can prepared for anything that comes your way.

So start building multiple baskets — some sturdy, some experimental, some small. Cast your bread upon the waters. You never know which stream will return to you in a season you need it most.