Sand is great for a run floor. It allows water to drain away and doesn't stay muddy for long. If you put shavings in the run they are going to get damp and can possibly mold which would be harmful if the birds ate it.
Your cabinet is a good idea, but it gets too hot in Florida to lock them in at night without more ventilation than air holes. A 6" window covered with hardware cloth around the top would be better.
Your basic design is good for Florida because of the heat. It has lots of ventilation, but you do need something to keep the rain from drenching the birds. Instead of putting a tarp around three sides, you might make a three sided shed in the middle of the coop for them to go into. Put it off the ground on 2x4s or something so the rain won't run into it. It doesn't have to be very big. If it is tall enough, you could keep the food in it to keep it from getting wet. A large dog kennel might work, but in a heavy downpour the rain may blow in.
The cedar kennel you were looking at would be great except for the material. There are several sites with kennels similar to it, but made of other woods.
Where are you putting the birds at night right now ? Chicken wire is to keep chickens in, but it won't keep predators out. A dog or coyote can go throught the wire and a raccoon can reach through and grab a bird and pull parts of it through the wire to eat (they have also been known to tear chicken wire off the posts). They can also undo locks. Can you put hardware cloth around the bottom so nothing can reach through and reinforce with welded wire?
A friend here in Texas has a coop similar to yours, but she has metal down the sides from the roof for about two feet. The roost is up there so the birds fly up to get out of the rain. However, they are adults and not Silkies.
I hope I don't seem too negative, but if you check out the predators and pests section you will read about a lot of tragedies from inadaquate predator protection.
Your cabinet is a good idea, but it gets too hot in Florida to lock them in at night without more ventilation than air holes. A 6" window covered with hardware cloth around the top would be better.
Your basic design is good for Florida because of the heat. It has lots of ventilation, but you do need something to keep the rain from drenching the birds. Instead of putting a tarp around three sides, you might make a three sided shed in the middle of the coop for them to go into. Put it off the ground on 2x4s or something so the rain won't run into it. It doesn't have to be very big. If it is tall enough, you could keep the food in it to keep it from getting wet. A large dog kennel might work, but in a heavy downpour the rain may blow in.
The cedar kennel you were looking at would be great except for the material. There are several sites with kennels similar to it, but made of other woods.
Where are you putting the birds at night right now ? Chicken wire is to keep chickens in, but it won't keep predators out. A dog or coyote can go throught the wire and a raccoon can reach through and grab a bird and pull parts of it through the wire to eat (they have also been known to tear chicken wire off the posts). They can also undo locks. Can you put hardware cloth around the bottom so nothing can reach through and reinforce with welded wire?
A friend here in Texas has a coop similar to yours, but she has metal down the sides from the roof for about two feet. The roost is up there so the birds fly up to get out of the rain. However, they are adults and not Silkies.
I hope I don't seem too negative, but if you check out the predators and pests section you will read about a lot of tragedies from inadaquate predator protection.
