This expression is similar to "what goes around, comes around" and basically means that the consequences of one's evil actions catch up in a negative way. The idea that a wrongful curse comes back to the one who curses as a "
bird returns to its nest" dates back to the days of antiquity. However, it wasn'
t until the 19th Century that Robert Southey wrote that "curses are
like a young chicken: they always come
home to roost." Since then, the idea of evil
men creating returns to their own door has been encapsulated in this expression.
Dude, you keep dealing drugs and you're going to get caught. When the chickens come
home to roost, they will take your
car, your
house, and all your money!