Your lambs sounds pretty healthy and normal! Even if its below freezing, but the lambs are dry and active, I wouldn't use the heat lamp. You can tell if they've been nursing by feeling their bellies. Most baby mammals that aren't getting enough to eat have sunken bellies, aren't active, and, as Ross said, the inside of their mouths will be cold.
With our lambs, I keep them in a jug for 2-3 days. I dock and tattoo on day 2 or 3 (and I'll castrate too, but I left my lambs intact last spring). If I remember correctly, barbados don't have long tails that need docking (right?). After 2-3 days 12-24 hours after docking, I put 2-3 ewes with lambs in a larger pen (12'x12') together, and then I let them out in a pasture when the lambs are about a week old with other ewes with lambs. Some mothers butt other ewe's lambs, but the lambs learn pretty quickly to stay with their mothers.
Get some sheep books from the library or buy some. I love The Sheep Book by Ron Parker. I'm rereading it right now...its actually an enjoyable book to read, I find, and the most helpful book I've found in getting started with sheep.
With our lambs, I keep them in a jug for 2-3 days. I dock and tattoo on day 2 or 3 (and I'll castrate too, but I left my lambs intact last spring). If I remember correctly, barbados don't have long tails that need docking (right?). After 2-3 days 12-24 hours after docking, I put 2-3 ewes with lambs in a larger pen (12'x12') together, and then I let them out in a pasture when the lambs are about a week old with other ewes with lambs. Some mothers butt other ewe's lambs, but the lambs learn pretty quickly to stay with their mothers.
Get some sheep books from the library or buy some. I love The Sheep Book by Ron Parker. I'm rereading it right now...its actually an enjoyable book to read, I find, and the most helpful book I've found in getting started with sheep.
