[1.21.1] [Vanilla] Any ideas how my goat escaped?

[KrampusKid]

Any ideas how my goat managed to escape his holding pen?

I've had a wild male penned up for several months in-game while I let his horns grow. He's the father of all my domestics and I want to be able to put his full-length horns with my other trophies. I came outside after a temporal storm and found that somehow he escaped his personal pen (highlighted in red) and got back into the main pen.

Primarily I want to know how to stop him from breaking out again, but also now I'm concerned that any of my other animals might spontaneously escape their pens, which would be quite the hassle.

While I have your attention(s), any idea how long it takes for a goat's horns to get to full length?

 

[KrampusKid]

Just for the record, Ricky is already penned back up so no worries there

[Professor Dragon]

In theory, Ricky should not be able to get out.

Both fences and gates are intended to prevent animals from stepping on and over them. That is a fix that is occasionally called out in patch notes.

Your enclosure looks fine:

• It is all fences and gates. No stray blocks.
• Snow does not matter since patched.
• There are no troughs or other steppable areas
• There is only one animal, so there shouldn't be collision climbing escapes

However, Ricky, like all goats, has a step height of over three blocks - so maybe somehow that is still coming into effect, even though it shouldn't. 

\Vintage_Story\assets\survival\entities\animal\mammal\hooved\goat-adult.json
stepHeight: 3.1251

I have a lot of sheep contained, which are similar to goats in many ways, behind 2 high fences and have only had one escapee - and it is possible that is because I left a trough in that location. Their step height is lower though. So you may simply want to try a 3 or 4 height fence.

Anyway, practically speaking, I'd secure Ricky a little more. Give him the full treatment:

• Slabs or grated trapdoors for a roof (Anti-escape)
• A light source (Anti dark-despawn if solid roofs or walls)
• Another perimeter fence two blocks out from the current fence (Anti-bear swipe)
• Backup Ricky II in a secure location (Just in case)

If Ricky were a chicken, I'd add:

• Lightning rod (Anti-instant death from lightning)
• Fireproof blocks around fence enclosure (Anti fire spread)

___

The Wiki says that Goat Horns take a year to grow:
https://wiki.vintagestory.at/Goat#Horns
Adult male goats (including ox) grow horns over the course of 12 months.

Professor Dragon.

 

 

 

Edited September 27, 2025 by Professor Dragon