As good be an addled egg as an idle bird

If I had not bene gathered from the tree in the budde, I should beeing blowne haue proued a blast, and as good it is to bee an addle egge as an idle bird.
[1578 Lyly Euphues I. 325]

As good be an addled Egg, as an idle Bird.
[1732 T. Fuller Gnomologia no. 681]

The chickens are feeling the heat, poor creatures. I'm afraid I gave them a bit of a ticking off. As good be an addled egg, I told them, as an idle bird.
[1974 D. Carter Ghost Writer iii.]

Related to: action and inaction; idleness

Bibliography of major proverb collections and works cited from modern editions is available here.