Stardew Valley has been described as the Skyrim of farming simulators, and for good reason: this indie game boasts an incredible depth and variety of content. Fans are still discovering new secrets hidden within the game's code over five years after its initial launch and an active modding community ensures a steady flow of new treasures to find, adventures to go on, and characters to marry. However, this doesn't keep the game from having the occasional hiccup, as one Stardew Valley fan found when their farm animals began acting strange.
Reddit user boofx3 shared a short video showcasing most of the animals in their farm walking up and down in a straight line between the barn and the fence. The result makes the animals appear to be bouncing between the two objects. This isn't the first time a bug has affected Stardew Valley's gameplay, but it may be one of the most confusing to watch.
Boofx3 expressed confusion in the post and asked if other Stardew Valley players had any idea why their animals were doing this. Fortunately, several other users arrived to explain what was going on. According to these responses, the animals are close enough to a patch of grass to detect its existence but do not have a path to reach the grass. The resulting Stardew Valley glitch causes the animals to march up and down the paddock.
Interestingly, a closer look at the video reveals that not all of the animals are exhibiting this strange behavior. It appears that one goat, one cow, and one pig have escaped the lure of the grass and are continuing to wander around the enclosure as usual. However, it seems that all of the sheep have joined the march. Stardew Valley features a wide variety of animals, so it's possible that different farm animals will respond differently to this glitch.
According to responding users, one possible solution to the issue would be to plant grass inside the paddock. However, given the number of animals boofx3 is currently containing in one small paddock, it might be difficult to keep the grass from being eaten up instantly. One suggestion was to exploit another glitch in Stardew Valley and place a lightning rod on top of a grass starter located near the barn. Apparently, this should ensure the grass stays permanently. While the affected grass can only feed one farm animal, it can also propagate new grass throughout the enclosure.
Stardew Valley is available for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.