Would it be unreasonable?

We started with thirteen and then shortly after that added four, now we are up to fifty with a few lots of baby chicks, two of which have been hatched by our own hens... So I don't think twelve would be too much, but I suppose that is your decision.

Ha Ha.... Ha Ha Ha... Ha Ha Ha Ha.... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Chicken math..... Go for it! 12 is only 4 more than 8 or 50% more......

 

I started with 23 free chickens. I lost 1/2 of them to possum and coon.

 

Then I discovered incubating.

 

Then I decided to explore making a profit with broilers.....

 

Today, I have 53 layers, 4 roosters on death row, and 125 Freedom Ranger broiler chicks that should be hatched and delivered in 6 days.

 

I have an addiction lol! Come join me ;)

I ended up starting with 19. I wanted 3. That's a whole different story. I wish I would have started with 6 in the spring, and six in the fall. I enjoyed the eggs. But raising 19 to be the tame birds that I wanted was difficult. But I had to get rid of 7 roo's. And two chicks died. So I had 10. A fox got 3 of them. So I have seven right now. I have 12 coming in a couple weeks. And I REALLY want Marans, Cochins, and Buff orps. But I don't have room in e coop. :/ so mabye next year if my numbers hold up. Moral of my long unnecessary story, I think you I'll be fine. It just takes a lot of time.(if you want tame chickens)

Ha ha ha ha.... We have never owned chickens,  we started with 27 chicks!   Nothing like jumping in head first!

 

The only problem with starting out big, of you fill your coop the first year, when you have 5 year old birds who don't lay, then you have no eggs and a full coop. But if you have the coop space, Full speed ahead!

12 should be fine we started with 25 I don't suggest you start with 25.

Oh, this year you want twelve. Next year. You'll want more:D

We are starting with 12 as well.  We have 4 barred rocks  (because I wanted three and one would have been left alone, so the store employee encouraged me to take her), 1 RIR, 2 red sexed links, 2 buff orps, 1 cal white leghorn, and 2 silver wyandottes.

 

I already know what I want next year, lol.  I want two black australorps, and two ameracuanas. I am sure I will want some others by then, but for this year, we are done.