tagglelim Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Hello All! I'm starting SOTW Ancients this year; my first attempt at grammar stage history. My dd and I are really excited about this and there is an eagerly anticipated activity to create a "chicken mummy" fast approaching. It sounds like a fun, yet rather gross, project. I'm wondering if there are any tips out there from more seasoned chicken embalmers????? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matryoshka Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 First, get a cornish hen, not a chicken. Smaller is better. Even though they cost more per pound, they're so much smaller, it's even cheaper. But smaller is also easier to mummify. I recommend tupperware rather than a baggie as a method of containing it while mummifying. This is a much better recipe for Natron than most out there (as it actually includes the main ingredient in Natron). 2 parts baking soda 2 parts washing soda (avaiable in grocery washing aisle, likely next to the Borax, which is not the same thing) 1 part salt If you use 1 cup as your part, you should have enough to cover a cornish hen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 My tip: When you've finished, don't put it in the basement or the back of a cupboard. It's quite a surprise to find a perfectly preserved Chickenhotep when you're looking for the canning jars or the cinnamon. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrappyhomeschooler Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We loved doing our chicken mummy! Get a very small bird, much easier! Wash well in alcohol and dry thoroughly before beginning the salts. Have fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JenC3 Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We failed. Well I failed. It just was very juicey and I couldn't get it to begin drying out and after a couple of weeks....ewww. I think we'll try to again when dd is older and can help more. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cani e porci Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We're on week 3 of our mummification process. We used a full-sized chicken (4.5 pounds). Just because. I read around a lot before beginning, and saw on Donna Young's site that she recommended soaking the chicken in rubbing alcohol for a while before you put it in the natron. We marinated it in rubbing alcohol for 3 hours or so, and we haven't had a bad smell yet. We'd know it, too, because the only place I could figure to put mine was on top of the refrigerator. We are going through quite a bit of salt, but I'm going to use my empty boxes in a co-op castle-building project, so it all works out. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Dulcimeramy Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 Chickenhotep :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We did it and it was a lot of fun. Check out these three blog posts which chronicle out adventure in chicken mummification from start to finish! http://kristen-thehappygardener.blogspot.com/2010/01/mummification-of-chick-menotep.html http://kristen-thehappygardener.blogspot.com/2010/03/chick-menotep-is-finally-mummy.html http://kristen-thehappygardener.blogspot.com/2010/03/it-takes-little-imagination.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amy in KS Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 We're using a hot dog instead. It's super simple. Measure circumference and height, completely cover in baking soda and cover box. Empty and replace baking soda once a week. Should be mummified in 2-3 weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovedtodeath Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) I was going to link Matroyshka'a post #27 but I see she was already here. :tongue_smilie: We made a model mummy and wrapped it up, then put it in a sarcophagus. No dried meat for us!:D We also did this after reading about King Tut, since so many people complain that the mummification process was not perfected back in the Old Kingdom, so we shouldn't be teaching our kids that. I didn't want to take the chance, so we made a pyramid model for Old Kingdom. DD actually learned a lot about how precise pyramids had to be since the paper model was difficult for us. Edited August 30, 2010 by Lovedtodeath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarcyB Posted August 30, 2010 Share Posted August 30, 2010 (edited) First, get a cornish hen, not a chicken. Smaller is better. Even though they cost more per pound, they're so much smaller, it's even cheaper. But smaller is also easier to mummify. I recommend tupperware rather than a baggie as a method of containing it while mummifying. This is a much better recipe for Natron than most out there (as it actually includes the main ingredient in Natron). 2 parts baking soda 2 parts washing soda (avaiable in grocery washing aisle, likely next to the Borax, which is not the same thing) 1 part salt If you use 1 cup as your part, you should have enough to cover a cornish hen. :tongue_smilie: We made a model mummy and wrapped it up, then put it in a sarcophagus. No dried meat for us!:D . While waiting for the apples to finish mummifying, the boys have built a lego sarcophagus and 'mummified' an action figure LOL Only thing is..washing soda is getting harder to find, and many stores like Walmart/Kroger have stopped carrying it or have replaced it with baking soda (as if that was ever close). You can get it from pool supplies, though... Just ask for sodium carbonate @ any pool supply house if you can't find it locally in a grocery store. We're about to 'crack' open our apples and will do the cornish hen (that's an awesome idea) next! Edited August 30, 2010 by DarcyB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tagglelim Posted August 31, 2010 Author Share Posted August 31, 2010 Chickenotep!!! Haha! Does that mean, if we take everyone's excellent advice, that we would need to name ours Cornhenotep?? :lol: Thank you, everybody! Lot's of great advice here that might help me avoid a giant ziploc bag of ooze. From what I've gathered, I need a small cornish hen, lots of alcohol, lots of salt, a dab of cinnamon, and the avoidance of dark closet corners! And thank you for that extra tip with the pool supply store, for I've never even heard of washing soda. Thankfully, pools are plentiful here in FL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elfinlady Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 Chickenotep!!! Haha! Does that mean, if we take everyone's excellent advice, that we would need to name ours Cornhenotep?? :lol: Well, since hens are actually female, I named our departed Pharaoh bird HatshepCluck. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
myfunnybunch Posted August 31, 2010 Share Posted August 31, 2010 a dab of cinnamon Even more fun is to let the kids choose the spices out of the cupboard, lol. Our mummy smelled of curry, cardamom, cinnamon, thyme, basil and nutmeg. Cat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tagglelim Posted September 1, 2010 Author Share Posted September 1, 2010 Well, since hens are actually female, I named our departed Pharaoh bird HatshepCluck. :D Quite right! Then perhaps we should go with Nefrecluckti. :lol: ...and seasoned with the children's choice of good ol "Generic Italian Seasoning Blend". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tagglelim Posted November 11, 2010 Author Share Posted November 11, 2010 I've very VERY new to this forum, but have learned that raising an old thread from the dead is apparently a major no-no. However, I just can't resist raising my old thread on the how-to of Chicken Mummy Construction. To those that responded: THANK YOU!!! We combined all of the advice and are having instant success! We went with the cornish hen, soaked her in alcohol for 4 hours, and used a plastic container instead of bags. Also, the simple natron recipe you provided is frighteningly efficient. We are only on Day 2 of mummification and our hen's life force has been completely sucked dry. No goop for us! And only the aroma of Allspice.... So a humble thank you to you all! P.S. My daughter has decided to go with "CornTutankhamen". I think she just likes the fact that she can say "Tutankhamen"....:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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