Giving your chickens plenty of leafy greens is a great way to supplement their diet and provide them with some variety, as well as extra hydration and nutrients.

However, some types of lettuce are more nutritious than others. 

Can Chickens Eat Iceberg Lettuce?

Chickens can absolutely eat iceberg lettuce. It's one of my flock's favorite treats, especially when it's hot out.

Just keep in mind that as the leafy greens go, it's not the most nutritious, and with its extremely high water content, it can cause diarrhea if fed to your flock in excess - although it is a very good hydrating treat in the summer.

But there are better choices when it comes to leafy greens.

If you're going to feed leafy greens on a regular basis, then there are a few that are higher in vitamins and nutrients that are better choices for chickens than iceberg lettuce. 

Romaine lettuce, kale, watercress, and collard greens are all extra nutrient-dense, containing Vitamins A, C and K, as well as lots of fiber. 

They contain potassium, calcium and iron. They're also packed with anti-oxidants and beta carotene (which  makes nice orange egg yolks).

Arugula, beet greens, Swiss chard and dandelion greens are all also great choices when it comes to leafy greens.

Use caution feeding spinach.

Another leafy green that's a nutrition power house is spinach. Spinach is packed with vitamins and nutrients. But it also contains oxalic acid. 

Oxalic acid isn't generally a problem unless too much is ingested. Too much oxalic acid can interfere with calcium absorption and lead to soft-shelled eggs in chickens and ducks. 

So be aware that if you feed too much spinach, you might start to notice softer egg shells or broken eggs. If so, cut back on the amount of spinach you're feeding.

As with other treats, in total they should not exceed 10% of your flock's total diet, which equals only about 1 or 2 tablespoons per bird per day.