Updated 25 October 2026. Facts on this page come from minecraft.wiki, minecraft.net and the live Artemis PvP server; sources are listed at the bottom.
Entity Cramming in Minecraft: Why Mobs Die When Packed
Entity cramming kills mobs packed too tightly. On Java, when more than 24 pushable entities share one space, they take 6 damage every half second until the crowd thins. The limit is the max_entity_cramming game rule, 24 by default, and 0 turns it off. It hurts players in Survival and Adventure and every mob except bats.
How does entity cramming work?
Each mob or player counts the pushable entities it is pushing. If the number is above the max_entity_cramming value, it takes cramming damage of 6 per half second. Items and things that cannot be pushed do not count. See game rules.
Why does it matter for farms?
- Animal farms with too many animals in a 1 by 1 space lose animals to cramming, so give them room.
- Some kill chambers use cramming on purpose: packing mobs into one block kills them without a player hitting them.
- Mobs killed by cramming do not drop experience, since a player did not kill them; see XP farms.
How do you change the limit?
Use /gamerule max_entity_cramming 100 to allow bigger crowds, or 0 to turn cramming off. High values can cause lag with huge mob piles, so raise it only as far as your farm needs. Bedrock has no entity cramming game rule. Animals: breeding animals.
What death message does it show?
A player killed this way gets a message saying they were squished too much. Other messages: death messages. Damage basics: health and damage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the default entity cramming limit?
24 on Java.
Sources
Every fact on this page was checked against these pages; the wording is ours.