8/18/2019 Morant

1/11

Morant page 26-30 from The Management of Rabbits, CJ Davies,

Chapter Ill.

THE MORANT SYSTEM OF RABBIT-KEEPING.

The system of keeping rabbits on the grass in movable ht!hes "ith "ire bottoms throgh "hi!h theygra#e has never $taken on% in &nglan', althogh it is a'opte' "ith apparent s!!ess on some of the

largest rabbit farms in (ran!e)

Hntches.

Morant ht!hes, as they are !alle' after the name of the inventor, are ma'e by Messrs) *olton an'

+al, of or"i!h, in three si#es-single ht!hes, ft) by 2it), rearing ht!hes, an' 'oble bree'inght!hes, 6ft) by 3ft), !osting respe!tively 22s), 2.s) 6'), an' 33s), "ith a re'!tion on large nmbers)

The ht!hes are fastene' together "ith bolts an' nts, an' althogh the 'oble bree'ing ht!h is a

rather !lmsy affair, it is perhaps the most sefl type to keep, as it forms a splen'i' rearing ht!h for a

litter of yong rabbits "hen the !entre partition is remove') The ht!hes are fitte' "ith raise' nests,"hi!h enable the rabbits to fee' beneath them, an' as all the fittings sli'e ot the nest !an be remove'

altogether or only a shelf left in "hen the ht!h is not being se' for bree'ing)

/ sli'ing roof on the (ren!h prin!iple "ol' be a great improvement to these ht!hes, bt "ol' no

'obt a'' greatly to the !ost) /s the &nglish roof is ite n"iel'y in a gale, an' the hinges are apt to

get broken if it blo"s ba!k, the first thing the pr!haser of one of these ht!hes mst 'o is to strt pthe li' an' then tie a strong !or' from roof to ht!h front to prevent an a!!i'ent on the first gsty 'ay)

1n smmer the rabbits sffer from the heat n'er the #in! roofs) Maor Morant re!ommen'e' "hite-

"ashing them bt it is m!h better to lay on some stra" mats, say t"o 'eep, of a !lass "hi!h !ol' be

ma'e by any stableman or that!her) The #in! "ill feel !ool n'er these on the hottest 'ay) Three pie!esof string threa'e' throgh the bin'ing of the mats an' passe' right ron' the roof, one in the !entre

over the !entral partition an' one at ea!h en' otsi'e, "here the rabbits !annot gna" them, "ill hol'

them in position ite effi!iently) The &nglish ht!hes are ma'e "ith proe!ting han'les, "hi!h are aptto get broken) The (ren!h se for broa' hooks atta!he' to ea!h ht!h, an' !arry ron' t"o poles or

 bars, "hi!h slip n'er the hooks an' serve to move all, the ht!hes) This is likely to be in!onvenient

"hen one person is moving the ht!hes alone, one en' at a time)

Cheap home-ma'e ht!hes on the Morant prin!iple are to be fon' illstrate' in several han'books) 1t

is very 'obtfl "hether they "ol' prove satisfa!tory) Movable ht!hes mst be very strong an' "ellma'e to stan' the !onstant shifting) They are e4pose' to all "eathers an' "ill "arp, shrink, an' !ra!k if

ma'e of !heap, nseasone' timber) /bove all, the inmates are e4pose' night an' 'ay to the possible

onslaght of !ats, 'ogs, fo4es, an' stoats, to say nothing of "il' rabbits, an' it is highly important that

 both material an' !onstr!tion 5shol' be of the best) /s they are no" trne' ot the mo'ern ht!hesseem safe)

+erhaps the greatest a'vantage to be 'erive' from the se of Morant ht!hes is in the enormos savingof labor in !leaning ot) n'er no other system !an a large nmber of animals be so i!kly atten'e'

to) (rthermore, yong rabbits thrive an' gro" rapi'ly in the fresh air an' snshine in a "ay they never

ite seem to 'o in or'inary ht!hes) There are 'ra"ba!ks, ho"ever) lt is first of all essential that thegron' to be gra#e' over be level- i)e), not !overe' "ith ant-heaps or ma'e very irreglar by tsso!ks

of !oarse grass, 7!) Then the present "riter has never ha' m!h l!k in bree'ing in these ht!hes,

althogh rabbits hare been bre' in them) 8ome 'oes obe!t to the moving, others 'islike the raise' nest,

8/18/2019 Morant

2/11

others are nervos an' 'esert their yong on small provo!ation, 7!) *ree'ing is, in fa!t, fon' to be

!on'!te' "ith greater s!!ess in the or'inary type of ht!h in an othose, an' the mother an' yong

are sally transferre' to a Morant ht!h "hen the latter are bet"een three an' for "eeks ol')

The most serios 'isa'vantage is the great likelihoo' of otbreaks of parasiti!al 'isease if the rabbits

are !ontinally passe' over the same gron' an' allo"e' to gra#e it too freently) There is a great

temptation to 'o this, be!ase the grass gro"s so freely behin' the ht!hes)

Rules t !e O!ser"e#.

The follo"ing rles shol' be observe'9 ever pass the ht!hes over the same pie!e of gron' morethan t"i!e in one year 'ress the lan' every )atmn "ith basi! slag given at the rate of abot !"t) to

the a!re, "hi!h "ill in!i'entally greatly improve the herbage) 1f the rabbits !ease to thrive on the grass

it shol' re!eive a 'ressing of gas lime at the rate of abot : ton to the a!re in the atmn if they arekno"n to be sffering from parasiti!al 'isease the lan' shol' be 'resse' "ith salt at the rate of abot

:0!"5t) to the a!re) The (ren!h se slphate of iron for the same prpose)

;hen a very small area of grass is the only lan' available it is a'visable to move the ht!hes only on!ein the t"enty-for hors for !leaning prposes, giving !t grass or green stff in the ra!ks for the

evening fee') in)mesh "ire netting an' abot :?in) long an' :2in) to :in) "i'e) T"o of these !an be slng by "ires

a!ross the !entre partition an' if separate' an' hooke' to the front of the ht!h insi'e @over the "ire

nettingA an' fille' "ith hay, they help to prote!t the inmates in e4!eptionally severe "eather) 8maller

ra!ks are not re!ommen'e' be!ase, apart from the blkiness of green foo') it is e!onomy of labor in"inter to "eigh ot enogh hay to last for several 'ays "ith "hi!h to fill them)

8/18/2019 Morant

3/11

Morant page 60-62 from The Domesti! Rabbit, JC 8an'for', :B.

%eta&ls ' Hutches

oo' materials an' goo' "orkmanship are al"ays 'esirable, an' in the long rn a great e!onomy)

&4tra time taken in goo' !onstr!tion "ill he hilly repai' 'ring the years of se)

/ll e4pose' e'ges of "oo'en frame ht!hes shol' be !overe' "ith metal strip, an' as far as possible

asbestos sheeting, if se' for "alls, or "ire mesh to !over 'oor, shol' be fi4e' to the insi'e of the

"oo'en framing) e'ges an' 'iffi!lt !orners shol' be eliminate')

itter boar's, abot in!hes high, pla!e' at floor level a!ross the opening of the ht!h prevent the

yong an' the be''ing from falling ot of the ht!h "hen the 'oor is opene') They !an be fi4e' to the

frame"ork of the ht!h "ith hinges or "ith metal gi'es)

Roofs of ht!hes shol' e4ten' at least si4 in!hes to the rear, or, preferably, gttering shol' be fi4e' to

 prevent "ater 'ripping 'o"n the ba!ks) The roof mst slope sffi!iently to !arry off all "ater an' mstof !orse be !ompletely "eather proof)

Door fasteners often !ase a goo' 'eal of troble) They shol' be of s!h a type that they are easilyopene' by the atten'ant bt not by 'ogs or the sto!k themselves) 1f possible a type "hi!h !loses "hen

the 'oor is s"ng to shol' be se')

(ig) E2)-/ large type of Morant ht!h,

The Morant system "as first intro'!e' by a Maor ) () Morant in :??E, the i'ea at that time beingthat these ot'oor movable ht!hes in "hi!h the rabbits !ol' gra#e, shol' be se' for !ommer!ial

rabbit keeping)

8/18/2019 Morant

4/11

(1) E3)-The interior of a Morant ht!h sho"ing soli' floor portion)

&a!h Morant is a large movable ht!h "ith the floor partly or "holly !overe' "ith a fairly large mesh

of sally abot :> in!hes) The ht!hes vary in si#e from abot 2> feet by E feet, large poltry arks being a'aptable to the prpose)

The system has some 'isa'vantages in that a goo' 'eal of lan' is reire' be!ase the animals shol'not freently gra#e over the same lan') The soil shol' be fairly light, an' the srfa!e relatively

smooth) &4posre to strng snlight 'ring smmer "ill fa'e the !oats of fr rabbits) (or rearing meat

rabbits 'ring the smmer the system may prove sefl) Morant ht!hes may be lai' on rails 'ring the"inter an' se' as !olony ht!hes if a soli' floor is pla!e' in them, for it is very rarely goo'

management to gra#e rabbits 'ring the "inter months)

Cln( Pens

8/18/2019 Morant

5/11

The !olony system entails keeping grops of yong rabbits, p to abot 30 in ea!h grop, in large pens)

1t is an e4!ellent system provi'e' it is !arrie' ot !orre!tly, bt is mainly se'

(1) EE)-Colony pens an' small pens !an be ma'e by sing partitioning of "ire netting)

for meat rabbits p to the ages of abot E months) 1n the past large !olony pens !onsisting of en!lose'

areas similar to poltry rns have been se', bt the most satisfa!tory !olonies are n'obte'ly thoseon "ire mesh) / soli' floor may be 'ivi'e' p by partitions of "ire mesh abot 3> feet high to form

soli' floore' !olonies)

Colony pens shol' not be too large an' the !onstr!tion of the metal type of pen is base' on an angleiron frame"ork "ith a strong mesh) 1t may be ne!essary to spport the mesh floor, an' for this prpose

angle iron may be se', "ith the mesh spporte' pon the ape4 of the angle) 1t is essential

8/18/2019 Morant

6/11

Morant page .-?3 from Rabbits for (r 7 (lesh, CJ Davies, :B:?

CHAPTER )II

THE MORANT SYSTEM

The metho' of rabbit keeping kno"n as the Morant system, from the name of its originator, is the se

of movable ht!hes "ith "ire-netting bottoms throgh "hi!h the rabbits !an gra#e the herbage on"hi!h the ht!hes stan')

/lthogh it is nearly it not ite forty years sin!e Maor Morant first a'vo!ate' this system, it hasnever been a'opte' to any e4tent in &nglan', firstly, perhaps, be!ase it is not as "ell site' to the

 bree'ing an' rearing of prely e4hibition sto!k as the time-honore' metho' of keeping them in the

 bo4 type of ht!h in'oors, an', se!on'ly, be!ase it reires lan') ntil ite re!ently rabbit bree'ing"as almost e4!lsively in the han's of to"n '"ellers "hose hobby "as e4hibiting an' there is no

'obt that a !ertain amont of e4posre to light an' "eather, goo' as it is for the health of the rabbits,

rnilitates against their !han!es in the sho" pen in keen !ompetition) 1n (ran!e the system has been

a'opte' on ite a large s!ale in some establishments, an' is repte' s!!essfl) o" that rabbitkeeping is be!oming "i'ely sprea' among all !lasses of the !ommnity in the *ritish 1sles, an'

e!onomi! alities are taking pre!e'en!e of sho" points, many people "ith lan' "ill no 'obt 'esire to

try this metho')

1t is the only "ay in "hi!h it is possible to keep very large nmbers of rabbits hygieni!ally "ith a

reasonable amont of labor)

The a!!ompanying 'iagram sho"s a typi!al Morant 'oble bree'ing-ht!h of the type ma'e by

Messrs) *olton an' +al, or"i!h) /ll the fittings sli'e ot so that, "ith the !entre partition

"ith'ra"n an' some of the nest fittings remove', the ht!h !an be se', if 'esire', as a single rearing- pen)

This type of ht!h is the most sefl for all prposes, an' is therefore the one re!ommen'e') Thereshol' be three to every t"o bree'ing-'oes kept, one ht!h hosing t"o 'oes, the other t"o taking their

"eane' litters) *!ksF ht!hes !an a'vantageosly be feet by 2 feet, an' are best ma'e "ithot nest

fittings, / bo4 @"hi!h !an be remove' "hen a 'oe is pt into the ht!hA shol' be given to the b!k tolie on an' go into in !ol' "eather)

/ spe!ifi!ation for a 'oble bree'ing-ht!h is as follo"s 9 (raming, :> in!h roof framing, :> by :in!h paneling, G-in!h mat!hboar'ing) Roof !overe' by sheet of #in!) The ht!h fitte' together "ith

 bolts an' nts9 length, 6 feet to en' of han'les, . feet "i'th, 2 feet B in!hes height in front, 2 feet :

in!h height at ba!k, : foot

8/18/2019 Morant

7/11

/ D in!hes "i'e, "ith a hole abot 6 in!hes

in 'iameter, or an ar!h"ay, !t at one en', sli'es into grooves fi4e' on ba!k an' front of ht!h) /groove forme' of t"o pie!es of "oo' naile' to the !entre of this boar' an' on !entre of en' of ht!h

takes a batten "hi!h keeps the nest together)

/ li', : in!hes by 2 feet 6 in!hes, rests on the boar' an' pon strips of "oo' fi4e' to front an' ba!k ofthe ht!h) This leaves a spa!e of abot . in!hes on top of the nest bo4 in the front part of the ht!h

pon "hi!h the rabbit !an lie)

/n improvement to this 'esign "ol' be to make the nest bo4 o!!py only the front halt of the shelf)

The a'vantages of this "ol' be @:A better a!!ess to the nest bo4, "hi!h "ol' then be approa!he'

from the shelf on to "hi!h the entran!e hole "ol' open @2A a !omfortable resting-pla!e on the shelfotsi'e the nest !overe' by the li', "hi!h "ol' prevent the moistre "hi!h !on'enses on the roof in

!ol' "eather falling on the rabbit) /s no" ma'e, 'oes have 'iffi!lty in !arrying p hay into the nest

 bo4, an' yong rabbits are apt to fall ot, or if they mp 'o"n "hen small, they are nable to fin'their "ay ba!k again throgh the hole at all easily)

8/18/2019 Morant

8/11

!hain or !or' shol' be atta!he' !lose to the prop from roof to ht!h front to prevent the former being

 blo"n ba!k an' broken in "in'y "eather) ;roght-iron hinges shol' be se', as !ast-iron are

!ontinally breaking nless kept "ell grease' to prevent them be!oming rsty)

The bottoms of the ht!hes mst be !overe' "ith 1>-in!h-mesh "ire-netting, tightly straine' ron' the

 bottom an' staple' to the si'es) 1t staple' to the bottom, the holes ma'e assist in setting p rot, an' the

"ire is also more liable to get 'ragge' off)

The fronts !omprise 1. in!hes of "oo' at ea!h en', t"o :?-in!h openings !overe' by :-in!h-mesh

"ire-netting, :? gage @ or >-in!h-mesh nettingA in the !entre 'ivi'e' by a pie!e of ;oo' 2 in!hes"i'e n'er "hi!h the "ire stret!hes) 1t is almost essential to have shtters over the "ire for se in very

!ol' "eather an' "hen bree'ing) The best form is a hinge' 'oor "hi!h Ivill trn right ba!k over the

 panelle' half of the front an' hook there)

1t is most important that only goo' ality an' "ell-seasone' "oo' be se' in the !onstr!tion of these

ht!hes)

Common, nseasone' 'eal an' sap"oo' "ill not stan' the e4posre) The ht!hes shol' be painte'

three !oats otsi'e, an' the paint rene"e' every thir' year) The insi'es shol' be 'istempere' or

"hite"ashe') The !onstr!tion mst be of the very best, as the ht!hes may have to "ithstan' theonslaghts of one or other of the varios enemies of the rabbit, to say nothing of the strain pt pon

them by the perpetal moving,

SPECIA* %ETAI*S

lf Morant ht!hes are to stan' in a hel' o!!pie' by horses or !attle, the proe!ting "oo'en han'les are

ite nsitable, an' "ill soon get broken off) 8ome form of metal han'le "hi!h 'rops 'o"n "ill bereire' or else the (ren!h fitting of for broa' hooks fi4e' to the front an' ba!k of ea!h ht!h,

 beneath "hi!h t"o poles, !arrie' ron' by the movers, !an be slippe') /s, ho"ever, one person alone

may often 'esire to move a ht!h, one en' at a time, han'les "hi!h 'rop are probably best)

&a!h ht!h is frnishe' "ith a #in! trogh "ith trne'-in e'ge, : foot long, 2 in!hes 'eep, E> in!hes

"i'e, ba!k :3> in!hes by 3> in!hes) These troghs slip from the otsi'e throgh holes :2 in!hes by 3in!hes !t in the ba!ks of the ht!hes on ea!h si'e of the !entral partition, an' are hel' in pla!e by trn-

 bttons) / le'ge of "oo' over ea!h trogh helps to prevent "ater getting into them in "et "eather)

The #in! roofs of Morant ht!hes are far too hot in smmer an' !on'ense moistre in "inter) They

shol' be prote!te' by mats of stra", ree', matting, or some other material lai' in t"o or more layers

ntil the roof beneath feels fairly !ool to the han' on a snny 'ay) arios types of mats are se' for

gar'en prposes an' may be sitable or stra" mats !an be ma'e by a groom or that!her) The mats !an be kept in pla!e by three pie!es of fine "ire passe' ron' the roof) 8tring hol's them eally "ell, bt

is perpetally being bitten throgh if it !omes "ithin rea!h of the rabbits)

arge "ireKnetting bags shol' be slng in the ht!hes a!ross the !entre partition to hol' !t

greenstff)

OTHER TYPES OF H+TCHES

/lthogh varios 'esigns of ht!h have been a'vo!ate', the Morant type seems 'iffi!lt to improve

8/18/2019 Morant

9/11

pon, an' is the one a'opte' in (ran!e, "here a pattern very m!h like the one 'es!ribe' has been

;i'ely pt into se) / rather more e4pensive !lass of roof, "ith a !entre panel "hi!h sli'es to right an'

left, is in greater favor on the Continent than the li' opening se' here) (ailing a ht!h of the original

'esign, the ne4t best thing is probably a pen on the !ombine' !oop-an'-rn prin!iple, "ith hinge'"oo'en roofs to both rn an' inner !hamber) 1t is important in all ht!hes of this !lass to have the

openings so arrange' that the bree'er !an rea!h easily all over the pen "ithot going on his knees on

the possibly "et grass, for "hi!h reason li' or roof openings are the best) Doors at one en' of a E-footor longer pen might as "ell be absent as far as ease of !at!hing p the inmates is !on!erne')

%ISA%)ANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM

s!ything has to be 'one, as the rabbits !annot pll p very long stff throgh the "ire, an' they!onseently soil more than they eat)

Terrible tales of 'isaster an' loss among rabbits kept on the Morant system have been pblishe' in&nglan', bt mention is never ma'e of the a!tal !ase of the mortality as reveale' by post mortem

e4aminations) ntil frther evi'en!e is a'van!e', it seems fairer to blame the o"ner rather than the

system, ;hen one !onsi'ers the great ignoran!e 'isplaye' by many "ho keep rabbits, the hgemortality "hi!h freently o!!rs in or'inary ht!hes o"ing to mismanagement, an' the totally

in!orre!t fee'ing "hi!h is !ommonly pra!tise', the "on'er often is not that they 'ie, bt that any

rabbits srvive at all in any type of ht!h)

8/18/2019 Morant

10/11

METHO%S OF MANAGEMENT

8/18/2019 Morant

11/11

spe!ies are sbe!t to the same 'ea'ly liver 'isease @Co!!o'iosisA, an' althogh there is no 'ire!t

evi'en!e as yet that this 'isease !an a!tally be transferre' from fo"l to rabbit, or vi!e versa, it is by no

means nlikely, an' it is har'ly "ise in the present state of or kno"le'ge to risk the o!!rren!e) 1f

fo"ls mst be kept in !onn!tion "ith rabbits, the best system "ol' be to keep them in movable pensto follo" !losely on the ht!hes)

Cattle, pigs, an' horses are n'esirable among ht!hes, an' "ill 'amage them by rbbing against them,if they 'o not a!tally kno!k them over)

The sheep is the animal least likely to 'o 'ire!t 'amage, an' the present "riter has kept them amonght!hes ;ithot any serios trobles arising) /t the same time !lean gron' is best for the rabbits,

"hi!h, o"ing to their !onfinement, are nable to pass over 'irty pla!es an' fee' else"here) Tethere'

goats are not likely to appre!iate the ri!h herbage "hi!h gro"s behin' the ht!hes)

/ (ren!h bree'er "ho "orke' on a large s!ale "ith :0 Morant ht!hes states that it took t"o people

abot forty mintes to move this nmber, an' that it took an hor an' a half to 'istribte 9foo' an'

"ater to the ?00 to :,000 inmates) /!tally tor hors of a gar'enerFs time "ere spent 'aily inatten'ing to the animals) (ive a!res of lan' is the minimm ne!essary for !arrying this nmber of

ht!hes, an' more lan' is 'esirable five a!res 'oes not a'mit of a 'aily moving it the same gron' is

!overe' not more than t"i!e in the same year, an' it means that the rabbits mst be mainly ra!k an'trogh te') N/n &nglish athor estimates that one a!re "ill !arry five 'oes an' progeny)

/ trolley, 'ra"n by a 'onkey or pony, is se' to !onvey the foo', "ater, an' other ne!essities along thelines of ht!hes)

;ith the e4!eption of the points briefly in'i!ate', the management of rabbits on the Morant system is

the same as their management "hen kept in the or'inary "ay as 'etaile' else"here in this book)

BREE%S FOR THE SYSTEM

The present ;riter has kept most bree's, in!l'ing /ngoras, in Morant ht!hes in the 8oth, has kept

them ot in the ht!hes at every time of year ;ithot spe!ial pre!ations, an' has fon' that they all 'o

"ell) The !hief, in'ee' the only serios troble, is that the light fa'es the !oats of all bree's more orless bt the same !an be sai' of any ht!hes "hi!h stan' ot of 'oors, an' in the !ase of the fr bree's

the light is not strong enogh to 'o very m!h harm to the ne" ;inter !oats, "hi!h are not !ompletely

throgh ntil the mi''le of ovember)

ery timi' in'ivi'als of any bree', or timi' bree's like 8ilver reys, o"ing to the ease "ith "hi!h

they are pset an' frightene', s!!ee' less "ell in ht!hes on the grass than the bol'er or more

 phlegmati! ra!es nless spe!ial pre!ations to preserve them from 'istrban!e are taken)