First time mums can find it all a bit strange at first, and may run off if disturbed. But usually they won’t go far if they’re not disturbed, and mostly they do come back to the same spot even if they do go away.
I’ve not had Badgers myself, but if they’re like Shetlands, not only are the mothers usually excellent, but the lambs are active, know exactly what they want and where it is, and are persistent in getting it!
I cannot stress enough that the biggest threat to good mothering in first timers of this type (ie, not dopey commercials
) is disturbance. In spades and cubed if there are two lambs, and the disturbance is when #2 gets born - because by then #1 is up, fed and running about, and mum may decide that she will save the one that’s mobile.
So... numbering. Someone suggested numbering the ewes before lambing, and I can’t tell you what a good idea I think that is! (Number or mark uniquely in some way. I used to prefer a “family mark” to girt big numbers, but whatever works for you.).
If the mother is marked, you don’t need to try to catch her in the field. At 24-36 hours old you should be able to catch the lambs and mark them, ring them if you are doing any ringing, and so on.
If used, iodine must be applied within minutes of birth to be of any use. So if you are letting mum bond with the lambs without disturbance, you cannot iodine navels. Iodine is used to minimise the risk of infection creeping up the unsealed umbicilcal cord; such infection can cause problems later, such as joint ill. After an hour or two, the cord is sealed and starting to shrivel and dry anyway, so iodine does nothing useful.
If you lamb indoors, or if you pick up newborns and bring them in a trailer to where you want them, be that indoors or a different field, then you are maximising the potential to exposure to infection, so then I would iodine.
If you are going to leave the family to get to know each other for 24 hours plus, then the best defence against infection is clean ground and an attentive mother.