Hello, as I am caring for the animals and place of friends while they visit in Missouri and Texas I have been happy to find this site. They've not had time to run power out to where they have two goats. I have been worried about keeping water for them to drink. I cannot as easily get water up to the goats as can their people. I have racked my brain for an 'additive,' and after touring this site kept thinking there had to be something I could do. I thought of cooking oil, or fish oil as a coating on the sides of the plastic half barrel water trough. I called my cat's vet and was told that yes the fish oil was safe, and would cause no health problems (what I asked about as I had thought the goats would deal with it easier), but that cooking, or vegetable oil would be much cheaper.
Yes, the fish oil was $15. for about four ounces so I went the cooking oil route. Today they decided they just weren't as thirsty as they thought when they got a smell of the oil. I had not gotten all of the ice out of their barrel yet, and I had left them a bucket in which I had spilled too much oil. Now the trough is thoroughly cleaned with hot water, and all ready to take out to them tomorrow after church. I will put enough on a paper towel to thoroughly coat the sides and bottom of the trough. I am, though, really hoping to find that during the night and morning they drank as the air is so dry. I will post the results for you. I really felt there had to be something with which to safely coat the inside of the trough to keep the ice from building up.
