diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler.py b/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler.py
index 2465a026ba..8a2f67212b 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler.py
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/direct_butler/_direct_butler.py
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Iterator, MutableMapping, Sequence
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, ClassVar, TextIO, cast
 
+from deprecated.sphinx import deprecated
 from lsst.resources import ResourcePath, ResourcePathExpression
 from lsst.utils.introspection import get_class_of
 from lsst.utils.logging import VERBOSE, getLogger
@@ -2149,6 +2150,11 @@ def validateConfiguration(
             raise ValidationError(";\n".join(messages))
 
     @property
+    @deprecated(
+        "Please use 'collections' instead. collection_chains will be removed after v28.",
+        version="v28",
+        category=FutureWarning,
+    )
     def collection_chains(self) -> DirectButlerCollections:
         """Object with methods for modifying collection chains."""
         return DirectButlerCollections(self._registry)
diff --git a/python/lsst/daf/butler/remote_butler/_remote_butler.py b/python/lsst/daf/butler/remote_butler/_remote_butler.py
index fbabfd0f02..bc9d78b8dc 100644
--- a/python/lsst/daf/butler/remote_butler/_remote_butler.py
+++ b/python/lsst/daf/butler/remote_butler/_remote_butler.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 from dataclasses import dataclass
 from typing import TYPE_CHECKING, Any, TextIO, cast
 
+from deprecated.sphinx import deprecated
 from lsst.daf.butler.datastores.file_datastore.retrieve_artifacts import (
     determine_destination_for_retrieved_artifact,
 )
@@ -144,6 +145,11 @@ def isWriteable(self) -> bool:
         return False
 
     @property
+    @deprecated(
+        "Please use 'collections' instead. collection_chains will be removed after v28.",
+        version="v28",
+        category=FutureWarning,
+    )
     def collection_chains(self) -> ButlerCollections:
         """Object with methods for modifying collection chains."""
         from ._registry import RemoteButlerRegistry