Snowfall and fences

[Rufferto]

Snowfall allows animals to jump over fences and gates.  Observed this with sheep and pigs, did not test with poultry and rabbits.

2 block high fences and dual gates are required to contain animals in snowfall.

[Kaz]

Rabbits and chickens also escape, but not the chicks. 

[Streetwind]

Not a bug. All involved game mechanics are working precisely as they should

It's an unfortunate side effect of snow accumulation. You cannot have a weather system where snowfall builds up on the ground without allowing creatures to walk on top of it. Imagine how silly it would look if you had a nearly full block of snow accumulated, but your character - or some random animal - was still walking on the dirt underneath. You would not even be able to see rabbits and foxes anymore, because they would be completely submerged.

So consider this an additional realism feature, even if it is sort of accidental. In real life, if you expect a full meter of snowfall, then your 1.5 meter fence is not going to stop anyone or anything from climbing over, and you will need to plan with a 2.5m fence from the get-go. Alternatively, you could settle where it snows less.

 

Edited December 20, 2020 by Streetwind

[Kaz]

Thanks for the response. Although I understand your point though from a realism aspect, I dont agree completely.  I'd considered this for the smaller, lighter animals but for the larger ones that would sink in the snow it doesnt make sense. i.e. if I cant jump over the fence while standing on the snow, neither should they.

But ok... can you make a double height fence without stacking two? Or double height gate? Having to open 2 gates is really very annoying! Maybe a variant of a door?

My other, more realistic approach is to put a roof of wood slabs to keep the snow from falling inside the pan. So far it seems to work fine.

[Rufferto]

Snow is powdery.  Ever tried walking in half meter deep snow, much less 1.5 meters?  Only on thick hard crusted snow or packed snow could you jump on it.  The snow sliding off of your roof might make such a pile, but animals move through snow, not on top of it.  It should not convey a jump advantage, and it makes fences just become silly and negates the realism.

 

And if you have 1.5 meters of snow, your sheep ain't moving out of the barn, much less going to jump their 1.5 meter fence, as evidenced by any animal agriculture anywhere with snowfall.  A 2.5 meter fence is only to keep deer out of the garden.