Advice please re hatching!

[MissG90]

My mallard female has been sitting on eggs for a few weeks now. As far as we knew she hadn't been in with the males as she goes into her spring quarters as our boys are large breed ducks. She usually goes broody and hatches some of our larger ducks for us. Well, one of them must have had hold of her before she moved as she seems to have 5 of her own eggs that have started to pip. All have pipped internally. I went in to check just to get rid of dead/infertile eggs. Whilst in I accidentally knocked a tiny piece of shell from one of the hatching eggs, I can see through the egg and can see the ducklings beak. Now only the outer shell came away so the duckling must have already pierced the membrane by itself? Basically I want to know if Iv done any harm to it, I'm so worried and feel awful! Any advice is greatly appreciated.

 

[aprille218]

As long as the egg isn't leaking moisture it'll be fine.

 

[MissG90]

Well Peggy is still bathing and sitting back on the eggs so they'll be kept moist, they're all peeping and moving around. I'll keep my fingers crossed