Chirping, can see in air sac, but pipping on wrong end!

[ProudMom]

HELP! We don't know what we're doing and we're trying to hatch a duck in our incubator. It's been about 28 days. Last night, we noticed a small outward dent on the wrong end of the egg. This morning, we heard chirping! We candled it and we can see the beak in the air sac and hear chirping. Still, there is now a second dent on the opposite end and part of the shell is falling from those dents. The membrane in that area has not been punctured. There is no pipping on the air pocket end. So, 2 questions: (1) if we hear chirping, then the bird has definitely pipped the inner membrane to the air pocket, right? And (2) How is it pipping the outer shell on the opposite end? Could there be twins? What do we do? Any advice would be so greatly appreciated!

 

[chicmom]

No to twins, and if you're incubating, you have to keep the incubator closed, and that humidity up, so that you don't end up with shrink wrapped ducklings.....I know it's hard, but the less you touch at this important stage (called lockdown), the better.......

Goodluck!

 

[ProudMom]

Should I worry about the pipping of the egg on the opposite end? And how is that happening since we are hearing chirping and seeing the beak in the air sac?

 

[chicmom]

I would say no, don't worry. It could be stress that has cracked the egg at both ends...I truly can't say why. Honestly, from experience, I can tell you that helping often ends in tragedy.