Mojang released Minecraft back in 2011 and since then, players have discovered new ways to maximize their yield from farms, created unforgettable designs, and have branched into competitive online games. One Minecraft fan has come up with an idea utilizing diagonal fences to trap mobs that may improve farm designs in the future.
Reddit user _Phantastik_ recently shared a clip from their Minecraft Seed in which they were able to trap some sheep and cows in a confined area using fences diagonal from each other. The Minecraft fan was able to capture three sheep and two cows using this technique to show how baby animals are still able to fit through the narrow gaps in the fencing to the surrounding Minecraft world. This method doesn't seemingly serve a purpose in _Phantastik_'s video, but it's a proof of concept that some other players may use to improve their farms.
The Reddit user was able to contain the Minecraft animals using basic fencing by creating a diamond pattern around the creatures with none of the fences connecting directly like they typically do when side-by-side. The diamond pattern _Phantastik_ used in this Minecraft video is a seven-by-seven grid that the Minecraft player shows from above as the five frantic captured animals scramble around their confines. As the sheep and cows mate in the diamond, the baby animals will leave the fenced area through the gaps in the diamond, allowing them to grow into farmable animals.
The baby sheep and cow in _Phantastik_'s Minecraft clip don't travel beyond far beyond the diamond, but they may eventually wander off as Minecraft mobs typically do when they aren't in captivity. Because the Minecraft player has left plenty of space around the diamond, they may also box in the baby animals so that they can return later for the additional resources.
Other Minecraft animals that may be contained using _Phantastik_'s trick are donkeys, mules, horses, while smaller animals like chickens or pigs will still be able to break through this corral. Minecraft players have previously used mismatched fences and cleverly placed gates to keep mobs contained similarly, while some get more creative. Another dedicated fan recently showed off a Hoglin fan that went beyond genius design into glitch exploiting through a Minecraft Nether Portal.
When a fence fails to connect to another one, it just stands there like a post and that's no different with this diagonal fence technique which allows Minecraft players to further optimize their cooked beef and wool farms. Although there are other farms that may use _Phantastik_'s fence trick, Minecraft Creeper, Skeleton and Zombie farms won't be improved due to their ability to move through the empty spaces.
Minecraft is available right now for Mac, mobile, Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.