Bantam care...?

[secuono]

So, I've opted to get several tiny Bantams, one of each that I like if I can, and 2 different regular sized hens. Probably a total of 8-12 hens. When I get to the barn turned coop, it's 5-6ft across and 6-7ft back. It's a regular old barn with spaces in the wall which are just boards. I wanted to insulate it better, anything I can use to close the holes up cheap?

I'm in northern VA, so would I need a heat source for them in the winter?
Would they be able to come out in late fall, winter and early spring? Or would they need to be cooped up all that time?

Here's a list of the kinds I'd like to get. Any info I need to know about them? Like they get cold easy, flies, roosts in trees, etc?
Appenzeller Spitzhauben.
Black Silkie Bantam.
Buff Braham Bantam.
Buff Laced Polish.
Buff Silkie Bantam.
Easter Egger Bantam.
Golden Sebright Bantam.
Golden Spangled Hamburgs.
Silver Sebright Bantam.
Splash Rosecomb Bantam.

As you can tell from that list, I want a nice mix of crazy colors! The fence we have is old farm cattle stuff. Back fence is a 3 layer fence over the years. Sides are just one layer and front also one layer, but with a thick hedge. Most sections have grape vine, weeds, and the such. Should I put in another fence so they won't go through the holes?

There is a 200ft section that will be new fence since there isn't one there now. We have a Chi mix dog, so I will be getting the 2in by 4ft holed fence for that. Would they really go out of the 2 acre area?

More Q's to come as they come to me, lol!

 

[zavierchick]

How cold does it get there? (I'm in CO, and don't know a bit about VA, but our winters are COLD, dry cold, but definitely cold, but that seldom lasts for more than a few days before warming up again.) We chose to have a heat lamp for the worst of our days, when we hit under the 10's, that may not have been necessary, but I was a nervous nelly first time chickie owner

That said, other than when we had snow (because our little snots didn't like getting their feet on it) they were out during fall, winter and spring at least some of the time.

Hopefully someone will weigh in on the breeds - we have had Buff Brahmas (loved them, sweet girls, a little broody) and Easter Eggers (ran the group when we had them) but none of the others you are looking at. I doubt they would leave the 2 acre area, ours pretty much stay put and could easily get over the fence if they wanted to, I always just have more of a concern for critters getting to them because we have had fox issues in the past.

Good luck!

 

[secuono]

No idea how cold it will get at the town we are in now, first year here. But we are in the foothills of mountains, so it will get pretty cold.