Thank you Roo, your info has indeed been very helpful. Last year I had a different issue, only one 'ling made it to pip, it got turned the wrong way and drowned. I was utterly devastated. In cases like that I've heard of human intervention being possible, but extremely difficult since it's near...
I'm so, so sorry for your loss, Deb. I also learned this heartbreaking lesson last year, as well. Had a tiny call duck get all the way to pip only to have it die in the shell because I didn't intervene in time. Hatching sure is addictive but it can also raise your blood pressure like nobody's...