In the garden of a care home, gingernut ranger hen Ellen has just laid her second egg. Resident Ashok Patel, 64, has been pronounced a natural" with the hens, someone who can coax them back into the henhouse when it is time for bed. "I like the hens, and the hens like me," he says. Henpower, a project that brings hens to older people in care settings, has joined with Notting Hill Housing to introduce the hens into two of the housing association's extra-care sites. The project is supporting some 700 residents, including those with dementia, in more than 20 care homes in north-east England. Henpower was set up by the charity Equal Arts in 2011. A 12-month study of the project by Northumbria University ... found that Henpower is improving the health and wellbeing of older people, and reducing depression, loneliness and the need for antipsychotic medication in care homes. [Northumbria University professor] Glenda Cook ... was the lead researcher on the Henpower evaluation. "Henpower is innovative because it is not just brief 'petting' of the hens, but also taking responsibility for them. There's a huge range of roles with shared responsibilities, with diverse ways to interact with the project," she says. Volunteer Jackie Copeland works with residents on "henspired" art projects. "People get a lot out of stroking [the hens]. You feel your stress levels go down. I get 'chicken love' - I almost expect them to start purring," she laughs.