There's really not much point starting them in the house, as lettuces are a rapid-growing, short-season and extremely easy plants - just sow them directly outside in your beds when the ground is workable next time. Plants that benefit from being started indoors are those that need a long season to develop, or to start blooming.
If you are going to grow them inside for whatever reason, tranplant outside after danger of frost - they are not frost-hardy.

I want to start some indoors this year. Each time I sow outdoors, I think that birds get the seeds before they ever become lettuce? The only time I had lettuce was when I planted as plants..so this year I will try inside rather than buy the plants...I don't know if anyone else has had this problem? Martha/zucchini

If you think birds are eating the seeds or sprouts, have you tried using floating row cover?

I've never had to start lettuce inside. It comes up in about 3-4 weeks, depending on the variety, and it's good eatin' after that. I had particularly good luck with mesclun mix last year. I had no zucchini at all, but I was known as the Lettuce Lady for a while there. Heck, if you're in zone 3 or higher, you still have lots of time to get some going. Spinach can go in this weekend in my neck of the woods.