Brooding eggs left uncovered for about six hours.

[Castlemaid]

On Saturday, after collecting eggs for about three days, I introduced 11 eggs under my broody girl. I don't think she got off the nest for the next two days. This morning she took a break drink, eat, and run with the rest of the flock for a few minutes. Before I introduced the eggs, she would go through this behaviour and return to her nest withing a few minutes, so that was fine.

Well, I went to check on her later in the day, and she had entered a different nest box! The eggs she was brooding had been left uncovered for about six hours. Will they still hatch? It has been very warm here lately (well, for this area), 25-30 Celsius (about 75-85 F), so I'm thinking, two days in, warm weather, it will be alright? Anyone else had a successful hatch in similar conditions?

I moved her back to her own nest and she settled right in. I'll now be blocking her access to the other nest and check on her more often.

 

[sourland]

The eggs should be fine given the moderate temperatures. Good luck for a successful hatch.

 

[Castlemaid]

That's what I was thinking, just wanted some reassurance. Thank you for the well wishes!

Actually, I have another question. The nest box is up at about waist level. I've had chickens hatch eggs before, but one disappeared for three weeks and reappeared with her chicks, and the other one was nesting at ground level.
With the nest about three feet off the ground, what happens when the eggs hatch and chick are ready to go follow mom about?

 

[grayjay11o]

You should probably move mom and her eggs to a cage by herself either now, or when the eggs start to hatch. You should keep the chicks and adult chickens(except the mom) apart for as long as you can and slowly introduce them by leaving them in a cage in the coop for a couple before letting them out. (if you already know this then skip to the bottom) This should help stop the other chickens from attacking the chicks and keep the chicks from wandering off by themselves. You should also use a non-wire bottomed cage if you have one so the chicks don't get their toes stuck. If you don't have cages or a way to separate the chicks you can move the nesting box(or the broody hen) to the ground and section off a small area for them.

 

[sourland]

When the eggs start hatching, I would lock the hen in the nest site until they are hatched and then move her and the chicks to a brooding area.

 

[Sonya9]

Ideally you would move her to a penned in nest area before you gave her the hatching eggs. Broodies often go back to the wrong nest if they aren't penned in, or other birds go into the broody's nest and eggs get broken.

 

[aart]

Ideally you would move her to a penned in nest area before you gave her the hatching eggs. Broodies often go back to the wrong nest if they aren't penned in, or other birds go into the broody's nest and eggs get broken.

This^^^
Broken eggs and/or staggered hatching.
Make sure you mark the eggs you gave her, so you can remove any laid in her nest daily.