lettuce

Dlgar · **Joined:** Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:28 pm **Posts:** 2

I see many think lettuce is not good for chickens when given too much so I want to ask the question of how much is too much. At the moment I give my 11 rocks 1 half lettuce twice a week and they devour it very quickly but I guess is that too much or not enough. Their poop is fine and solid so I was thinking if it was too much it would be runny?

Hens and Hobbits · **Posted:** Tue Jul 17, 2012 9:03 pm

I think it depends on the type of lettuce, most people would avoid Icebergs for their chooks. Mine love the darker 4 leaf mix, also baby spinach, silverbeet and chicory.

BigFishLittleFish · **Posted:** Tue Jul 17, 2012 10:36 pm

i guess because it is mostly water and has no real nutritional value that people say stay away.... runny poos are also a side effect. But really for 11 chickens and only half a lettuce twice a week is pretty small....

My 5 get handfuls of the salad mix. It is just random lettuces, rocket and spinach leaves mixed together. They get it maybe 2-3 times a week. equivalent of a small handful each.

Everything in moderation is a good rule to stick by.
Try something like bokchoy or spinach if you are looking for an alternative. If it doesn't have any ill effect on the chickens and they have a balanced diet, stick with what your doing .

[smilie=a_cookiemonster.gif]

Dlgar · **Joined:** Mon Jul 16, 2012 9:28 pm **Posts:** 2

I will switch to the salad mix then because it is iceberg that I am using and I had read it was not the best for nutrition

Thankyou both for the help

FowledUp · **Joined:** Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:52 pm **Posts:** 1

Its only the outer leaves of the ice berg lettuce that are ok for some vitamins it goes the darker the leaves the better they are

PeterH · **Joined:** Fri Jul 20, 2012 2:46 am **Posts:** 4

Even then you are still offering 90% water stay with spinach or chicory as mentioned already they are better choices

Blak1 · **Posted:** Sat Jul 21, 2012 10:04 am

Do you find that your girls have runny poo with spinach and bok choy as well? My lot have destroyed almost all the grass in their run now so looking at alternative greens for them, but the runny poo is gross, stinky and really hard to clean out. I've just put a bag of sand in the most poo-ed on area (after taking out what I could with a disposable glove) for now...

SaltNPepper · **Joined:** Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:19 am **Posts:** 2

I feed mine silverbeet and broccoli and they have normal poo I wish they would eat cabbage though I have tons of those leaves every week

wals · **Joined:** Tue Jul 24, 2012 8:18 pm **Posts:** 2

Is the red lettuce the same values as the green?

SaltNPepper · **Joined:** Sat Jul 21, 2012 11:19 am **Posts:** 2

Yep its just the colour thats different

AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

lettuce

Who is on the Forum