Hissing at other flock members" is that ok?"

[NCFF]

I have 2 pairs of 7 week old Pilgrims. I have noticed that 2 of them are a bit more aggressive/ defensive to the other animals such as chickens,cats,dogs(none of these animals are in same pen). Is this normal behavior? I tell them to stop, and they do. Is there no point?, is that just their personality? And is this proper behavior for a well behaved Goose?

 

[larkflying]

It is completely normal. Their instinct is to hiss at strange animals, especially cats/dogs as they are predators. Geese also like being in charge. My geese are raised with chickens and ducks and share the same large area . . . mostly they ignore the other birds unless one of them has something they want, or makes too much of a racket. Then they feel like they have to restore order and the offending bird gets the snakey neck hissing . . . they all know to run away from the geese when they do that, so everyone is happy. Mine learned which cats/dogs belong here, and will generally ignore them unless they get too close. If we have strange dogs visiting though, they get the hissing treatment.

Your birds are young, and figuring things out. Sounds like you are doing well to correct them -- that might help during breeding season, when that hissing can turn into outright aggression . . . After they grow up a bit, they'll only hiss at strange people that they don't see often, or at things they think are dangerous. Or at you, if you go out wearing a strange hat, or something that looks different to them -- they are very sight oriented.