General Care Discussion :: Hatching questions, never done this before

[Rain7nites]

Ok so, my sister rescued these turtles a while back (3or 4 years ago now) they've spent the majority of their lives in a proper tank set up. They were recently (about a year ago now) relocated to a larger outdoor pond enclosure. Plenty of basking, deep water, waterfall etc. they are quite happy. They also overwinter in this pond with no trouble. There are a male and a female red ear slider and a smaller guy that's lived with them their whole lives, not a slider.
This year the female was gravid for the very first time. We provided her with a nesting box, about 4-6 inches deep, 1 1/2 ft wide and about 2, 2 1/2 ft. Long. They also have another slightly smaller box which she initially tried to lay in but was too small. Box boxes are filled with a high quality loose soil mixed with a bit of sand. The Turtles love these boxes.
Anywho, she laid a batch of eggs in the bigger box and we figured they should be hatching around the 19th of this month. We have not touched the box since she laid the eggs. We kinda figured we'd let nature take its course and whatever happened happened. It's now the 24th and I had a few questions.
When the turtles lay in a natural environment, do they unbury the eggs a bit to assist with hatching? Everyone I've seen incubates them so the eggs aren't still covered with substrate when they hatch. Can incubation take longer than the suggested time?
It's been quite warm here and so the temp hasn't really been an issue but it has started to drop overnight so I'm concerned that if the eggs were fertilized and supposed to be hatching soon, that the overnight temperature will quickly become an issue. Basically, should I move the box inside, or gently dig a bit to see what's going on? What's my next step here?
And if we get a few babies, can they handle the outdoor enclosure with their parents or will they need to overwinter indoors? As I've said, the pool is deeper with several places to rest and be in shallower areas but overall it's deep and I know the adults hang out at the bottom over the Cold season.
Thanks

[ljapa]

In the wild, turtles abandon their eggs. Hatchlings will work their way through, though they may take a few days to do so.

Incubation period will be dependent on soil temperature, and clutches laid at the end of Summer may not hatch until spring.

Be aware that an above ground box may experience temperature swings that are too extreme. The eggs may not make it.

[steve]

Agree with ljapa. Keep in mind, if it is her first clutch, it might not be very healthy eggs. My female's first clutch produced very tiny eggs (barely larger than peanut m&m's) and wouldn't have been viable.